SAIEN

Particularly in the West, when people think about Yoga, they believe it is a series of physical postures or exercises done with a certain sense of concentration. They associate Hatha Yoga with the entirety of yogic practice, and in many instances, treat Yoga as a form of physical conditioning. The field of Yoga is, however, something much different, far vaster and more powerful than just physical conditioning. Yoga means 'union' and the object of yoga is the union of the soul with the Divine. Sri Aurobindo has noted that yoga is essentially a form of applied psychology, as it delves into the inner realms, the thoughts, feelings, emotions, actions and reactions of the being and aims to shift the standpoint from that of the external ego personality to one of union with the Divine, with the motive force and power of action derived from that oneness with the divine Force as it manifests. Once the seeker recognises the deeper aims of Yoga, the perfection of the physical conditioning...

A call arises from within, A seeking passion climbs towards unseen peaks.   For but a moment all other desires are stilled. There is no pull to being here or escaping there. Since every container holds the same waters, The futility is seen of gravitating to one pot in preference to another. The restless manipulations of the mind, Triggered by preferences are stilled. Wherever I am these elusive waters flow, Drenching every moment with love. Surrendered to the invisible arms that deliver me to each moment, I let go of the compulsive need to be elsewhere. Fully present to the love that carves each moment I drink in infinity from its home in the infinitesimal. - Anahita Sanjana (India)

Detachment is opposite to attachment. Scientists have shown that our default brain settings naturally cling to attachment. Naturally, we are glued to relationships through friends and family, colleagues, hatred, praises, comments, feedback and what not constantly impacting us throughout the day. While we feel happy to be praised, we struggle in the face of negativity. The most common result of this negativity is a tendency to react back building stress within our body. In the words of Sri Aurobindo -  “Detachment means standing back with part of the consciousness and observing what is being done without being involved in it. There is no “how” to that; you do it or try it until it succeeds.” 1 In simplest terms, it means that one has to activate the “witness soul” as stated by The Mother. The witness soul is just an observer and it does not react to praises and criticisms. Yoga teaches us to be more focussed and disciplined and calm our mind. A controlled mind is more detached. A de...