YOGA LIFESTYLE

In the process of Moksha or liberation, the hardest part is probably taming our crazy jumping mind, in yoga terms called ‘the Monkey Mind’. Everybody is going through this taming proces during the practice of yoga; even while starting the asanas on the mat, the first few are still filled with thoughts like: ‘What am I going to do after class? What groceries do I need to buy? How do I look in this outfit? Do I look fat with these pants on? What does the person behind me think when I am in this position. Look at her, she is looking so amazing, I wish I could look a little bit more like her.’ And these are the thoughts of maybe one minute or even less! Our mind is never still. And only in between thoughts, we can reach a perfect state of inner peace, samadhi. Right there, in emptiness you’ll find your inner Higher Self and happiness.

It is only possible to reach the state of yoga of perfect bliss to melt into the Higher Energy, when we have complete controle over thoughts and senses. While living a Sattvic lifestyle for a longer period of time, the senses are easily controlled. But the Monkey Mind is keeping us busy all the time: it can make us literally crazy! When are these thoughts going to stop!?!?

In this blog I will give you some advice for taming the Monkey Mind. But first let’s see what ‘the mind’ is. When a physical body is born, the soul comes into the body and gives life. The soul is pure energy of love, a piece of Gods Energetic Body. This is who we truly are, because when the soul is out of the body, life is not possible. The soul is our eternal Self and cannot die. The body on the other hand can. It is temporal. The mind comes with the body and is part of the brain. The mind is actually just a bundle of thoughts. That’s it. When the thinking stops, the mind does not exist. These thoughts are in the beginning of our life very pure and loving. Because it is not clouded by stigma’s and outside opinions. It has only thoughts of Love and acceptance, like God.

Then all kinds of ideas come into the brain of the child, which are teaching him (or her) that he (or she) is a person that is not a part of God. He is being taught that the I is separate from God. He learns ego. He thinks he is not God or love anymore, but a separate being from other persons, the environment and God. He learns that he has to get things for himself in order to be able to survive as an ‘ego-Self’ in a material world.

That is when the biggest mistake is being made. We are not our physical body or ego. We are part of God. Ego is just made up by the mind and does not really exist. When you stop thinking of the ‘I’ as being separate, the I disappears. Seeing that, you’ll realize that you are one with God. You’ll know that God will give you everything you need to reach Him on the path of Moksha, because you are part of His body, like we have cells in our own body too. There is no need to worry about the things you need to get in order to survive, He will take care of you.

People are always worrying about scarcity, they think they will be short in some material or experience, then the Monkey Mind is making overtime. You are constantly thinking you need to get things or do things in order to be happy. Then materialism, jalousie and greed are entering your life. That is making the Monkey Mind even more restless! And with today’s lifestyles it is getting worse! People are working and spending and experiencing nice things all the time. As if happiness lies outside of them, and they don’t want to miss out on anything. But the happiness is all the time inside of you: that is the Soul, which is pure prema (love) and ananda (bliss). You just have to tune into the same vibration of your soul to be able to feel it. You just have to be still, in the moment, in between thoughts, to reach the feeling of perfect bliss. Happiness is not to be found in those thoughts, experiences and materials; it’s in between them. In your relax-mode.

When someone has inner stillness and inner peace, it is because of the absence of desire. That gives absolute bliss and contentment. You’ll never have to buy something or do anything, just be. And enjoy life as it is. So how can we reach this perfect state of a tamed Monkey Mind?

1. Reduce activities, reduce the time behind a display and be more in nature. Nature is a direct source of this Soul live-giving energy (prana). When you are connected with the prana outside of you, it is activating the connection with the prana inside of you as well. This makes it easier to be in the moment and be able to enjoy life.
2. Eat healthy and Sattvic. With this Yoga Lifestyle prana is entering your system. It connects you with your Soul. It brightens the sky, because of light food. It gives light thoughts and light emotions: those are easier to put aside than heavy thoughts that come with heavy food like alcohol or drugs. When put aside, it clears up the sky to connect with the Divine Energy.
3. Give yourself on a regular base a nice foot massage, specially the big toe which is according to Ayurvedic knowledge the holder of the Monkey Mind, since the nerves of the big toes are connected to the head and brain in our complex nerve system.
4. Drink a lot of fresh water. Light a candle. Be in the wind. Swim in the water. Work in the garden. In other words: be close to the elements which are a direct source of prana.
5. Meditate at least once a day; the perfect way to come in between thoughts in a state of samadhi. During meditation focus on your breathing and put your tongue against the back of the front teeth, this stops the Monkey Mind from lowering down. It helps to chant a mantra like ‘Aum Namah Shivaya’ in silence during meditation. With the focus on breathing and the mantra your mind will be too busy to jump around!
6. Be grateful. Name at least 3 things where you are thankful for everyday. Be happy with what you have and stop wishing for more. The Divine Energy will give you.
7. Realize that everything happens at the right time and the right moment. Surrender yourself to the Higher Source of Life. Make this your daily affirmation.

Namasté.