Abhyāsa Series - 3: Every obstacle is a Blessing!

Abhyasa means Practise in Sanskrit. prounouced as abh-ya-sa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xWL9CVdmkk

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So, I thought of elucidating the major obstacles for practice and then thought let's elucidate the boosters or encouragement too for the practice.

Interestingly, I discovered that the obstacles are far more than the encouragements for the practice and they are more pervasive than positive things for yoga.

Major encouragement or Boosters:

1. Happy disgust
2. Gurus/ Deities Energy
3. Madhva Yoga Books (Hatha Yoga Prathipika, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Gitas)

Major obstacles during practice:

1. Lethargy/ Sluggish Energy
2. Lack of confidence or Inconsistent practice
3. Sexual/Lust/ Pornographic Energy
4. Movie watching/ Music Addictive habits
5. Health obstacles
6. Forced to consume non-yogic or non-sattvic food (vulgar, spicy, oily foods) 
7. Relocating to a new place/traveling circumstances
8. Family or peer or Relationship or clan pressure or energy
9. Other Miscellaneous Prakriti's Attack (Fear/ spooky/ penniless)
10. Desire/ Hope/ Attachment Energy
11.  Obligations
    1. Work
    2. Family
    3. Ancestors
    4. Relationship

So, what are we going to do here? Negatives greatly outnumber the positives by 10 vs 3.

Thinking I will only practice when the best day dawns upon me or when my mind is peaceful or when my desires are satisfied. If that's the case, one can never practice. I had this same attitude once upon a time. Attitude change has to happen very quickly.

I got tired of this ongoing endless crap. I stopped relying solely on the encouragement aspects, now it is time to take obstacles head on and manhandle them and turn the tables against each obstacle.

Every obstacle is a super blessing! Every time you gather the courage to confront them than running away itself is the biggest grace! 

In the coming posts of the Abhyasa series, I will write my experience or strategy I used on each of these obstacles mentioned above.

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Because even if I am next to a deity or roam with Siddhas, if an enticing object attracts me, I will pursue that crap in full vigor infront of deity or Siddha, I know about me.

I might do it voluntarily or involuntarily. Involuntary things are more dangerous, that's where the subtle body has to be checked.

July 2021, Winston Salem, North Carolina

Once when I was sitting next to Swami Muktananda astrally, we both were meditating.

1. He was meditating and I was sleeping, then I was sleeping and he was meditating. It was alternating.
2. Then we both meditated.
3. Then, he mentioned he will give me some energy later on but not now because he mentioned I will use it to save my family. I nodded. (he saw the tornado waiting for me in India, I sensed the prewarning from him and tried to avoid going to India but by circumstance I have to be in India, situation was forced upon me)
4. Then again, we went on to meditate. 

So far, everything is good! 

Now, after such an elevating conversation, guess what I did !?

1. I sneakily took a big bag of chips from my pocket and started eating, thinking of hiding it from Swami Muktananda as if he can't see.
2. Swami Muktananda saw and he was hiding his chuckles and gave a shameful look coupled with silly idiotic child view.
3. I saw that he was looking and I am still eating the chips.
4. I am thinking maybe did not see that "I am eating chips because I am sitting at an angle", but I clearly know he saw me and laughing and smiling there, still shamefully I am defending myself to keep eating chips and concocting theories to in my mind to justify that he is not seeing me
5. I wanted to indulge so much in eating chips that I forgot I was sitting next to a great siddha

This is the dangerous part and scary part, I realized:

1. Not a single thought came to reform my behavior there, to avoid embarrassment or losing contact with Siddha by my behavior
2.  Even Arjuna collapsed next to ultimate paramtama like Krishna, that's when I realized from this experience that self-reform is the grave need of the hour, because every habit is going to surface and you may forget the environment, Deities, Siddhas, and also yourself.
3. Delusion is the right word, I was deluding myself and making myself believe the untruth. I wanted to be deluded to continue indulgence.

I have stopped eating chips for 3-4 years physically, this astral behavior kick-started after so many years.

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In the Abhyasa series, I will write the experience or strategy, I used on each of these obstacles mentioned above.

Almost all my techniques or breath infusion methods are from Inself Series books, I personalized the methods here and there and customized or innovated them for my psyche. I can share poses of breath infusion, but without the attitude or right view, or right approach, it won't benefit the practitioner. 

So, it should not be like I am the owner, I am a loaner from Madhva and ultimately traced back to paramatmas like Krishna and Shiva. So, I don't want to hoard these methods, I will explain in coming posts and it is also my obligation towards my Guru Madhva. Started as a disinterested obligation but quickly my attitude will change into an enthusiastic obligation, I am making efforts.

Whatever my little growth is, it all belongs to Inself Yoga and Maddhva, no question about it!

All credits should go to him, not me! That is fair and right! Ultimate Owner & Owner & Slave!

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