“I cannot stop myself from reaching out to a chocolate when I am depressed”.
“When I am angry, I eat a LOT!”
“Why do I always want to eat, I don’t understand!”
The majority of mankind, at least in the “civilized world” live enslaved by senses. They rule our choices, constantly propelling actions seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. All our habits, relating to sense satisfaction are created and sustained by these inherent opposing energies and for most of the time seem beyond control.
The forgotten limb: Pratyahara There is one limb of Astanga yoga (the eight limbs of yoga) that is often forgotten or ignored, lying almost invisible on the threshold between external (bahiranga) and internal practices (antaranga) - Pratyahara. Even though classified as bahiranga sadhana by Patanjali (Yoga Sutra 3.7), it is a very subtle dimension that is often taken for granted or understood rather poorly. But we do know from experience that without controlling the sense organs, it is not possible to progress towards deeper meditative practices. In our attempt to meditate, we are still struggling to concentrate with the distractions caused by sense organs. Since the mind (manas) is so intimately connected with the senses and is transacting through them, it is also considered a sense organ. Until the mind is stabilized and senses are controlled by this mind, meditation remains just an idea.
The role of senses Senses are the windows to the mind, bringing in a myriad of experiences that the mind learns to interpret and respond/react. Each of the five senses work in tandem creating a complete experience. We see, smell, feel, taste and hear. And these faculties are strongly conditioned by our constitutional tendencies, family, regional and socio-cultural factors. I was in a bus with a group of student volunteers from the west, who were going back to their country after a few weeks in India. Everybody was fantasizing about food, “the first thing I will have is good bread, bacon and real burgers”. I smiled as I listened, remembering my first trip abroad and how I craved for ‘curd-rice and pickles’!
To develop healthy control over the senses, we need to understand how they work. The Sankhya philosophy (that offers the philosophical foundation for understanding yoga) provides a beautiful perspective that is also reflected in many sutras of Patanjali.
Since the role of senses is an extensive subject in itself, let us just look at our food cravings as an example to understand how they operate.
I draw inspiration from the sutra on sense control (Yoga Sutra 3.47) that talks about reflecting on the process of moving from the gross to the subtle.
Sense reflections Take a specific food craving that has been bothering you for sometime, making you feel powerless and leaving you feeling guilty whenever you have indulged. It is very important to accept that this attachment is affecting your health and well-being. It is no longer an idea in the head like “chocolate is bad for me”, “I should not be eating this so much”. Develop a strong conviction to overcome the desire.
Grahana: the process of grasping the sense object.
What draws me towards this food? Become aware of the combination of sensory inputs that draw from memory the near-complete experience of the food in your mind. As you read this, you can picture the food, smell it, even taste it and salivate… without the food actually being there. See the power?
Grahana also is your mind (manas) that is locked up with the sense organs and follows them obediently.
Where is my prana flowing? What am I seeking to experience?
Svarupa: the essence or form of the respective organs.
The inherent nature of the eyes, that see and remember, the olfactory senses that have captured the aroma and bring them back, the taste buds that can relive a taste to near perfection, the textures you can feel.
Deconstructing the process: learning to separate each of their actions as individual patterns of prana flow in the direction of the object of craving. See it happen the next time you think of the food/are tempted by it.
How are my senses conditioned and how are they operating in tandem?
Asmita: the ego-indentity.
The ego identifies strongly with our personal likes and dislikes. Some people do not like sweets and love bitter coffee and I can’t seem to understand how! We are constitutionally programmed, conditioned by life experiences and social, cultural and family food habits. And when this identification is strong, it becomes difficult to resist. We feel so deprived, almost like a victim when we don’t allow ourselves to indulge. Sometimes it is a strong emotional reaction to an experience of illness or identification with a principle or value that has re-condition the senses.
Separate yourself from the food and see the individual thought process identifying with it.
What part of “me” is invested in this experience?
Anvaya: the inherent quality that is common to all the senses.
A more subtle undercurrent that encompasses the action of all senses is the gunas. The sense organs are dominated by Sattva (clarity) and Rajas (activity). And when tamas is not far behind it makes the mind and the senses very indulgent. Be aware of what quality is dominating the mind at that moment. Are you very hungry? We do know that deprivation and physiological need induces more rajas, so also any strong emotional experience. When rajas or tamas dominate the mind, there is not much choice left. Sense satisfaction compensates for deprivation at other levels. And it actually feels good… at least for some time!
Conversely when the mind is more stable and clear (sattva domination), it is possible to create a healthy control without the sense of feeling deprived, without any repression. There is no inherent conflict in that moment, and we have won over.
What is my state of mind?
Arthavattva Samyamat: directing the meditative process towards the purposefulness of these.
Reflecting on the purpose of each action and experience, what it serves versus what it is meant to serve. Are we eating to live or living to eat? Is this action going to lead me to better clarity and peace or drive me into more pain and misery?
What is the purpose of this action? How does it serve me?
Indriya Jayah: Mastery of senses, what we are seeking to establish.
This sutra is essentially talking about deconstructing the entire process of sensory action, moving from the gross to the subtle, from the obvious to the underlying forces. A simple meditative practice can help to understand each step of this process that when applied in a particular situation, can then be translated to many such situations. Of course, staying with one process long enough to find clarity and strength is very important – samyama is a deeper, all encompassing disciplining of the mind and senses.
Try it, it can be a deeply liberating experience.
Best wishes,
Saras
Saras
