Alone for Yoga

Today, July 13, 2023, Yogeshwarananda mentioned something interesting. He said that when he did austerities in India in his past life, there was a need to be alone. Now, that feeling converted into a need to be with others. As for being with the gods in their heavens, he said that he did not feel that as much as he felt the need to be with some physical people.

He said that the need for friendship, remains. Initially when a serious yogi makes the effort for liberation and for understanding his predicament, there is a longing to be alone. When that surfaces, the need to be with many other people subsides. It disappears. In its place, a need to be isolated is felt. That supports living alone or living in association with very few people who are like-minded.

However, the need for friendship, and for caring, and for being cared for, remains. That subsides for a bit. Then it returns and asserts itself. This is like when a man is filled to the throat with his favorite meal. At that point, there is the disappearance of appetite. The eagerness to eat those delicacies disappears. He moves away from the place where he was served. He goes somewhere to rest his body.

But then, after a day or two, again the appetite returns. Even if he does not think of it, even if he does not desire, it loops back. He feels the need and wants to have that food again.

After being in isolation and experiencing sublime states, many great ascetics were afflicted by the need to be with others, but these yogis did not admit the fact. Instead, people concluded that these spiritual athletes were compassionate. Being compassionate is not an excuse for not removing the tendency for being with others.

Of course, it may not be possible to remove the tendency for association. The possibility may be for the tendency to go into dormancy. Even that may not be controlled by the entity. He/She may however find it to be useful or obstructive when it forcefully surfaces.