Yoga and the yoga practice

Yoga, in simple term, is the basic universal knowledge, understanding, and capability of living in peace and harmony with all kinds of diverse names and forms in this space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, devoid of possessiveness and selfishness, where one is happy and peaceful as it is, under any conditions and situations, regardless of having the ability to be looking after some others or having the limitation that need to be looking after by some others, not being determined or disturbed by the presence and absence of agreeable and disagreeable, desirable and undesirable, pleasant and unpleasant, enjoyable and non-enjoyable names and forms, including the momentary existence and function of this body and mind, that are all selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self.

Yoga, in the context of literary, is the silence of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional self-acknowledged thinking and acting mind/faculty, or, the annihilation or cessation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional egoistic impure restless thought current/thinking process/thought activity/modification of the mind, or the veil of ignorance, devoid of the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, restlessness, and the suffering deriving from all that.

Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodhah

Conquest of the restless modification of the mind, by the mind itself.

It is a journey of conscious mind evolution evolving from the state of ignorance, egoistic, impure, restless, violent, hurtful, and suffering towards the liberation from all that.

Depending on the different states of the minds under different conditions, situations, limitations, and abilities, the journey to reach the final destination can be short or long, can be easy or hard, can be smooth or challenging, can be straightforward or manipulated, can be simplified or complicated, can be enjoyable or non-enjoyable and even painful, can be uplifting or intimidating, can be disembarking or reembarking before reaching the final destination.

The final destination of embarking the journey on the path of yoga (the activation of conscious mind evolution) - Upon the silence of the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind/the thought current/the thinking process, the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness that is always there, that pervades all and everyone and everything, appears as it is.

Selflessness - There is NO permanent independent infinite immortal individual 'I'/individual existence/individual identity/individual consciousness/personal soul or spirit existing to be undergoing birth (forming) and death (disintegration) of this body and mind, where there is NO countless reincarnation of any particular permanent independent infinite immortal individual existence of 'I' that is non-existing, that doesn't exist, to be undergoing countless different separate births and deaths of different separate life existence of different bodies and minds transitioning under similar or in between different realms/worlds.

Timelessness - There is neither past nor future, there is only NOW that is ceaselessly changing. There is neither past existence(s) nor future existence(s). Existence, is only THIS in NOW, that is ceaselessly changing. Decay and disintegration is ceaselessly happening in NOW.

The ceaseless movement/rotation of the earth or the planet around the sun, generate the interchanging of the presence and absence of light, that gives rise to the false impression of day and night, of the calculation and accumulation of time/seconds/minutes/hours/days/nights/weeks/months/years.

The growing, ceased growing, and decaying process of the selfless physical structure and the impermanent restless states of mind of countless thoughts/ideas/desires/feelings/emotions/sensations/memories/imaginations/actions/reactions ceaselessly arising and passing away at different pace/speed, that gives rise to the calculation and accumulation of age, experience, learning, understanding, knowledge, skill, interaction, activity, interest, relationship, duty, responsibility, inspiration, aspiration, ambition, imagination, and memory.

Time is merely the reflection of ceaseless impermanent changes, under different pace/speed, internally and externally, of both subject and object, of the perceiver and the perceived, of the knower and the knowledge, of the ceaseless process of generation, regeneration, degeneration, decay, and disintegration, and conscious/voluntary, semi-conscious/semi-voluntary, and unconscious/autonomous/non-voluntary physical/mental activities and movements/actions under different speed of movements/actions.

There is neither past live(s) of different separate mortal limited existence(s) nor future live(s) of different separate mortal limited existence(s) a.k.a. ceaseless past/present/future reincarnations of any particular permanent independent infinite immortal individual being/consciousness/soul/spirit, that doesn't exist. 

There is only this particular life existence of this particular body and mind that is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, that doesn't even belong to the body and mind itself, that is ceaselessly changing undergoing different shapes, forms, qualities, states, or conditions in NOW, that is momentary existing and functioning, while ceaselessly changing/decaying/disintegrating, and eventually ceased functioning and existing, upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness that pervades all and everyone and everything, that gives rise to the different states of consciousness/different degrees of conscious awareness to be interchanging between consciousness/wakefulness/activeness and semi-consciousness/unconsciousness/rest/idleness/sleep/dream/deep sleep/inputs processing to the conscious living organisms that come with the function/mechanism/ability of cognition/perception/memory storage/intellectual thought process of reasoning, learning, knowing, solution finding, and problem solving/emotion/sensation/action/reaction as well as the organs of senses (inputs) and the organs of action (outputs), to be attending/acquiring/maintaining the basic needs for the limited and conditional selfless impermanent life existence, for being momentarily existing and functioning selflessly and impermanently as what they are.

Ceaseless births and deaths transitioning under different conditions/states/qualities exists, that is nothing to do with certain worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious ideas, beliefs, values, and practices about the ceaseless reincarnation of a permanent independent infinite immortal individual existence reincarnating in different separate life existences transitioning in between different realms/worlds, but it is merely reflecting about the ceaseless impermanent changes of growth and decay, of ceaseless births and deaths of countless cells generation/regeneration/degeneration for maintaining the limited and conditional selfless impermanent life existence and function of the physical structure of the conscious living organisms, as well as the countless thoughts/ideas/desires/feelings/emotions/sensations/memories/imaginations ceaselessly arising, changing, and passing away, consciously/semi-consciously/unconsciously, transitioning under different conditions of the physical structure and in between different states of mind, that is ceaselessly happening from the beginning of formation until the disintegration or death of this body and mind.

Attributelessness - Oneness/Non-separateness/Non-duality, where all kinds of names and forms (living organisms and non-living objects) under different qualities/shapes/characteristics/conditions/functionalities are existing and functioning as what they are, under the one same nature of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self, governed by the selfless indiscriminate nature's law of cause and effect, ceaselessly manifesting, arising, changing, and passing away upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness, that is undetermined, undisturbed, unchanged, undamaged, or uncontaminated by the selfless impermanent limited and conditional ceaseless manifestation of countless momentary names and forms being what they are, as they are, ceaselessly coming and going/appearing and disappearing/existing and ceased existing, upon Silence of the mind or the thinking faculty, a.k.a. the annihilation/cessation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional egoistic impure restless modification of the mind/thought current/thought activity/thinking process, a.k.a. the veil of ignorance and the suffering deriving from being ignorant towards Selflessness, Timelessness, and Attributelessness.

Yoga can also appear to be anything manifesting under different shapes under different qualities of names and forms that the different minds want/desire/imagine/think/believe/label/identify/acknowledge it to be, depending on the different states of the different minds.

Even though yoga and the yoga practice is about conquering the mind by the mind itself to know Thyself, or knowing the truth of all these that the mind perceives/experiences consciously/semi-consciously/unconsciously, where yoga and the yoga practice is merely what it is, neither useful nor useless, neither spiritual nor non-spiritual, but it can appear to be something useful or useless, something spiritual or non-spiritual for the different minds under different conditions, limitations, and abilities. 

Before the truth of things that is always there, is unveiled upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, then yoga and the yoga practice can appear to be something spiritual for the minds that believe in spirituality and god existence. While yoga and the yoga practice can appear to be something non-spiritual for the minds that don't believe in spirituality and god existence.

Regardless of whether it appears to be something spiritual or non-spiritual, it is about engaging the mind in conscious mind evolution that leads towards the direct self realization or glimpse towards the truth of everything under the absence of the veil of ignorance via its own initiation and effort, observation and inquiry, determination and perseverance, independently.

Upon the direct experience/glimpse towards Selflessness, Timelessness, and Attributelessness (All are ONE under different names and forms), the mind will know that the manifestation or existence of yoga and the yoga practice is merely a direction (towards the annihilation of the veil of ignorance) and a set of different tools that can help the mind to move (evolve) towards that particular direction. It doesn't matter, when different minds refer that direction differently with many different names and forms.

There is no north/south/east/west/up/down/here/there. There is only HERE and NOW, in this mind. All and everything is happening in this mind that is always HERE and in NOW.

The entire journey, the path, and the final destination, is in the mind, in NOW. It is not somewhere else beyond NOW.

Even when some minds didn't understand or misunderstood the teachings of yoga and the yoga practice, thinking and believing that in order to portray or achieve stillness and forbearance as well as 'yoga asana' about holding a particular body position for a prolonged duration comfortably, is about challenging the body and mind to go beyond its limitation, or to go against nature, by putting the body, or the limbs, or the facial features in one particular position for a prolonged duration, such as standing on one foot, or not blinking or not closing the eye lids, or not lying down maintaining an upright sitting or standing position, or not sleeping, or not eating, or not breathing, or hanging the body upside down, or raising one or both arm(s) upward above the head and maintaining such position for prolonged duration, or even provoke others to inflict abusive behavior unto oneself intentionally, until the body and mind suffers from unnecessary deformity, or injury, or damage, or dysfunction, or even ceased functioning, which doesn't eliminate ignorance at all but empowers ignorance, unless after performing such activity that has no end of challenging difficulty by forcing, harming, or torturing the body and mind, until the body and mind ceased functioning and existing, they might begin to realize the middle path and the real meanings of yoga and the yoga practice, and make use of the momentary life existence and function of the body and mind to be performing selfless service to serve all and everyone, to be doing something beneficial/constructive for oneself and others and the surrounding environment.

The yoga practice is always HERE in NOW, upon the activation of non-grasping, upon the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty is being aware of or coming in contact with the different names and forms that are ceaselessly manifesting internally and externally, regardless of in action/activeness or in inaction/at rest/idleness, under the different states of consciousness.

Yoga and the yoga practice is non-separated from life existence in all kinds of affairs, duties and responsibilities, ties and connections, relationships, interactions, activities, experiences, conditions, and situations, where the mind is being aware of all that, while consciously activating/performing different kinds of physical and mental practice, or method, or technique, or observation, or influence, that can influence or render the restless impure egoistic state of mind to be calmed and quiet (the thinning-out and annihilation of the veil of ignorance - the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness), that enables the mind to know Thyself, or knowing the momentary mortal limited and conditional impermanent non-independent selfless existence and function of itself, that is not different from all kinds of diverse names and forms, where all are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, which then, enables the mind to see the truth beyond the different qualities of names and forms, of non-duality/non-separateness/oneness/attributelessness/timelessness/selflessness (all are one under different names and forms).

By knowing Thyself, or knowing the truth of names ad forms, will enable the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function of the body and mind to be able to look after itself and the surrounding living environment selflessly and independently under the presence of correct understanding, or under the absence of ignorance, or under the presence of unconditional peace in the mind, that contributes peace and harmony among the many diversities in the surrounding living environment that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, that supports all kinds of names and forms to be existing and functioning as what they are.

Yoga and the yoga practice, or the conscious action/observation/practice/influence/evolution, of non-grasping and letting go, or standing as a silent witness, while performing or not performing all kinds of actions or activities, can only be happening, or being what it is, only if it is being activated under the conscious freewill/initiative/yearning towards liberation/effort coming from the mind itself, willingly and wittingly to free itself from the influence of ignorance, to be purifying and quieting itself, to develop/inquire/attain correct understanding, and to realize and be resting in unconditional peace upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness, upon realizing/knowing/seeing/understanding the truth of all kinds of diverse names and forms existing under different qualities manifesting and changing under the one same nature of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self.

Yoga and the yoga practice exists and is valid/useful for the conscious perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional self-acknowledged thinking and acting minds operating/functioning UNDER the influence of ignorance, that gives rise to all kinds of suffering/disturbance/disharmony/restlessness/violence/painful sorrow/grief/fear/doubt/selfishness/possessiveness/greed/anger/hatred/pride/shame/jealousy/envy/longing/craving/clinging/hypocrisy/untruthfulness/manipulation/intimidation/offensiveness/defensiveness/interference/the urge to control everything to be or not to be in certain way, a.k.a. the absence of peace/wisdom/correct understanding/clarity/absolute knowledge.

If the mind is peaceful as it is, unconditionally, devoid of ignorance, being undisturbed or undetermined by the mind perception towards all kinds of pleasant and unpleasant/agreeable and disagreeable/desirable and undesirable/enjoyable and non-enjoyable names and forms, or the presence and absence of all kinds of names and forms being what they are, internally within the body and mind and externally in the surrounding living environment, then yoga and the yoga practice doesn't exist, or is invalid/useless for this mind. Such mind is one with yoga or non-separated from yoga, a.k.a. the mind is resting in silence upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness that is untouched or uncontaminated by any qualities of names and forms that are all selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, of the subject and object, or the perceiver and the perceived, or the knower and the knowledge, or the experiencer and the experience (all are one under different names and forms).

As long as the mind still perceives, or experiences, or acknowledges any kind of disturb, hurt, dissatisfaction, disappointment, fear, separateness, duality, unrest, lack of freedom, doubt, insecurity, grief, painful sorrow, difficulty, blockage, meaninglessness, loneliness, or any kind of suffering due to the presence of ignorance, or the absence of correct understanding/wisdom/clarity, then yoga and the yoga practice is available/accessible, naturally, in NOW, for the mind to evolve consciously towards liberation, freedom, knowledge, and peace.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Do not blind-believe, blind-follow, blind-practice, blind-agree/disagree, blind-glorify, or blind-propagate.

The minds that understand all these, they don't have to, but if they want, and if there is the opportunity and possibility, they can perform many actions in this world selflessly, indiscriminately, and unconditionally, to help many other minds to also be free from the influence of ignorance out of their own conscious freewill/initiative/yearning towards liberation/effort.

These minds are the teachers of dhamma, or the selfless wise leaders that don't only lead and organize a group of followers that are in need of a leader to lead them, to comfort them, to motivate them, to organize them to be or not to be in certain way, but who have the knowledge, ability, possibility, and opportunity to teach and guide all and everyone to be free from ignorance and become independent, and will no longer in need of any leader to lead them, under the presence of wisdom, or correct understanding, or clarity, or mental and emotional independence, a.k.a. under the absence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.

Yoga, or the dhamma, or the truth of what all and everything are, is never separated from all and everything. And it doesn't change into something else, even if the many different minds see/understand/desire/modify/manipulate it differently under the different states of mind.