State of Mind

It’s funny. Or not really.

In yoga you become engaged. In any way, really – in your body, in life, in your mind. You begin living more consciously.

So when you go on Facebook today and check what yogis are posting… it’s bewildering. It’s about performance, about brands, about beaches – there’s a lot about beaches –, about what to eat – or not to eat – and about protest. It all about what we like and what we don’t like. Of course, everyone mostly shows when they’re having a lot of fun. The great time at the beach. The beautiful view. No-one posts about having to bring out the trash or doing the dishes after having that delicious vegan salad. Just the fun part. The party, the sunshine and a picture of their coolest yoga pose.

There are very little signs of detachment or serenity. Detachment is perhaps not post-worthy. How would you even post about detachment?

I recall a discussion at a yoga immersion about detachment, how we should find distance from the negative things in life. And be guided more by the positive things. To me this didn’t make sense, seemed illogical and inconsequent. If we detach from the negative forces in life, would we not also have to detach from the other side of the coin – the positive forces in life? Manic-Depression is still pathological when you have manic phases. The good cannot exist without the bad. We have to let go of both. Let go of the things perceived by the senses. This is the tantric perspective.

It’s taught in the Bhagavad Gita, this point in-between. “The self-controlled and peaceful man’s Supreme Self is balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as also in honor and disgrace.” (6.7) A state of mind, in which we can always experience peace and serenity. Peace and serenity are of course judged as good. But it’s a different kind of good. It is not the exhilarating, fun, ecstatic kind of good. It’s not the sunrise over the blue sea or the wild party. It’s not measured by the senses. But it’s the quiet, consistent, humble kind of good.  And this kind of good has more to offer. Because if you have it, it sticks with you. It’s there while waiting in line at the airport when you leave the sunny beach. It’s there when bringing out the trash, doing the dishes or having that delicious salad. You can rely on it in the good, the not-so-good and in the bad times. It’s the state of just being, experiencing and knowing. Knowing everything is fine, just like the way it is. It’s the inhale and the exhale. Always present, always comforting. Simple. Just the state of being.