Laziness/Procrastination ~ Absolute Powers

Laziness and procrastination are ever present in the psyche at this stage. That some other level excludes stupor may or may not be a fact. However, on this level of awareness, laziness and procrastination which are aspects of stupor, besiege a yogi on a daily basis.

With regularity, it keeps the yogi time bound, where when something should be done, it is neglected, and when the body should awaken, the stupor influence expresses an inner reluctance that is difficult to overcome. This happens day after day.

Rising early for yoga practice is a daily struggle with the stupor energy always objecting and installing a filibustering energy which is difficult to overcome. Doing duties promptly is a battle unless there is a promise of a pleasurable reward.

Friends may not help in this struggle. In fact, some friends influence to help the stupor energy where a friend suggests even further procrastination and extended neglect. This is an example of where the stupor energy in the psyche of a friend joins to support the stupor energy in the psyche of the yogi.

Whenever the stupor energy is banished in one instance, it reestablishes itself, so that it become present with the same or more power on the next day. These verses from Bhagavad Gita are related.

तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि

मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम् ।

प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्

तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥१४.८॥

tamastvajñānajaṁ viddhi

mohanaṁ sarvadehinām

pramādālasyanidrābhis

tannibadhnāti bhārata (14.8)

tamaḥ — depressing mode; tu — but; ajñānajaṁ — produced of insensibility; viddhi — know; mohanam — confusion; sarvadehināṁ — of all embodied beings; pramādālasyanidrābhiḥ = pramāda — inattentiveness + ālasya — laziness + nidrābhiḥ - sleep; tat — this; nibadhnāti — captivates; bhārata — O man of the Bharata family

But know that the depressing mode is produced of insensibility which is the confusion of all embodied beings. This captivates by inattentiveness, laziness and sleep, O man of the Bharata family. (Bhagavad Gita 14.8)

धृत्या यया धारयते

मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः ।

योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या

धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥१८.३३॥

dhṛtyā yayā dhārayate

manaḥprāṇendriyakriyāḥ

yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā

dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī (18.33)

dhṛtyā — by determination; yayā — by which; dhārayate — it holds; manaḥprāṇendriyakriyāḥ — manaḥ — mind + prāna — energizing breath + indriyakriyāḥ — senses; yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā = yogena — by yoga practices + avyabhicāriṇyā — unwavering, constant; dhṛtiḥ — determination; sā — it; pārtha — son of Pṛthā: sāttvikī — of the clarifying influence

The determination which holds the mind, the energizing breath, and the senses by constant yoga expertise, that O son of Pṛthā, is of the clarifying influence. (Bhagavad Gita 18.33)