Corrosive Feature of the Mind
The mind has a corrosive feature which detects mental and emotional energies which it can react with. It does so at the expense of the core-self. This is part of the defensive posture of the psyche. It is primeval and is an equipment which is necessary in the quest for evolutionally advantage.
In higher yoga, however, this feature is a handicap because it restricts the amount of advancement the yogi may derive even if he or she spends hours introspecting in meditation.
If an iron bar is passed over a dish of sulphuric acid, the bar will soon show rust. This is even though the acid made no liquid contract with the bar. It did however make vapor contact. That was sufficient to cause corrosion.
Just by thinking of certain actions of certain persons, or just by thinking of those persons, or having related memories, the mind may react and emit attitudes. This is because the corrosive feature applies not just to physical presence but to psychic presence and even to memory.
In higher yoga, it is vital that at some stage, a yogi can recognize the covert operations of the mind, when it applies a corrosive energy to memories or to actual presences.
The question:
Is it worth it?
If the yogi is in the process of correcting someone, is it worth the blow-back which will be produced by correcting that person.
This is important because in any case, if the yogi misjudged or was not prejudiced, still any action to correct someone else will have in it a blow-back effect or a resulting defensive mental posture resulting from the mind of the wrongly or righted corrected person?
Is anyone worth, slowing down one’s advancement or causing one to endure entangling hostile energies which come back to the yogi because his corrosive mental interactions?
Should a yogi be indifferent to just about everyone whom he may be in proximity with?
Lauren Babb, MA I like the term acceptance. The yogi understands that self and all apparent "others" are fleeting and illusory expressions of the same core infinite Self, with the truth of Self transcending any momentary apparent manifestation.
Remembering this, the yogi can choose to respond to/interact with other illusory expressions of Self at whatever level feels relevant from a place ultimately rooted in kindness, compassion, tolerance, in the recognition that at the truest level of Self/being we are all passing illusions awakening to the truth of our ultimate oneness in our own curious ways.
In so doing, the yogi retains awareness of the dispensible nature of his/her physical form and expression (and that of others), and remains tethered to awareness of the eternal nature of oneness at the core of all beings and trusts in the meandering nature of the awakening of all beings.
LOL! What a mouthful! In short...it depends! It is not the yogi's obligation to teach or correct "others". However, holding a space of truth and inviting others to this simply through the momentum and radiance of his/her being is the true yogi's irrevocable path.
Lauren Babb, MA And the ability to gracefully, compassionately allow others their response to this, whatever it is, is an integral part of mastering the yogic path.