Abhyasa & Vairagya

We have loved our summer of practice with you. Even on the hottest of days and with commitments to family and friends, you showed up. We are very proud of you and you truly inspire us to keep teaching!

In the ancient text the Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali defines the state of Yoga as the "cessation of the fluctuations of the mind."  Yoga is the state where the mind is not whirling.  In sutra 1.12, Patanjali gives us a method for how to stop the mental whirling and attain the state of Yoga. He wrote:

1.12 abhyasa-vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah

The mind is made tranquil by practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya).

In yoga practice, we are looking for a balance of discipline and letting go. In Sanskrit, they are called Abhyasa & Vairagya. All spiritual practice is a combination of the two. Like two wings of a bird, every yoga practice must have equal measure of these two elements to keep it afloat.

The word Abhyasa is rooted in 'As' which means 'to sit,' it also means 'to be present'. This does not mean a passive sitting like on the subway. The sitting implies sitting with and staying with something for a while. The ‘to be present’ translation reminds us that for any action to truly be effective, we need to be present with ourselves and others while doing it. An important element in yoga is action without interruption which is why daily practice is often recommended.

The form of your daily practice may shift. Some days it might be a long Vinyasa class. On other days, your daily practice might be taking a few deep breathes before going to sleep. The form and length of practice is less important than the consistency of doing it. It's much easier to be consistent with a practice if you it everyday. It just becomes what you do.

Practice picks up momentum like a ball rolling down a hill. The more we practice, the more we want to practice, and so we get to our destination faster.

As the ball of practice rolls down the hill, we may notice that bumps and blocks arise along the way. These arise in the form of our attachments and aversions. This is where Vairagya, the softening, element comes in to remind us that discipline is only part of the equation. We need to couple discipline with qualities of letting go. This widens our perception and creates space for equanimity, wisdom and joy.