Yoga Sutra Reflections Session 23: Impediments On The Path Of Yoga

Integrating Ancient Wisdom in Modern Life: Impediments Are Blessings

1. There are nine distractions, Impediments on the path of yoga. They are Illness, Procrastination, Doubt, Negligence, Mental Laziness, Cravings, Misperception, Failure and Instability. There are five by-products of Impediments: pain: self pain for self growth, substantial pain from the gross, from natural disasters, Irregular inhale and irregular exhale.
2. Impediments are blessings. There is a famous old Zen saying, “The obstacle is the path”. This means the obstacle isn’t a roadblock that is standing in our way or hindering our progress; it’s the way itself to help you discover who you really are!
3. The only problem with Impediments is that you want to get rid of them. That’s the only barrier. You will have to live with them. You cannot just escape. They are the very situation in which life has to integrate and grow. They are the challenges of life. Accept them.
4. Life is possible only through challenges. Life is possible only when you have both illness and health, when you have both procrastination and precrastination, when you have both doubt and trust, etc. Life moves between these two polarities. Don’t choose and don’t resist but live the polarities in total acceptance. Between these two wings you learn how to fly to the farthest star.
5. These obstacles can cause the scattering of the mind. They prevent us from being established in the Self, the real goal of yoga. Hence, it is important to understand them and also learn the skills to overcome them.
6. Solution for the above Impediments – With practice and consistency, these obstacles will pass with time. To get rid of them, do just one thing, single-pointed attention on one thing. Be in the moment. When you concentrate your mind on a single point you give life to that thought or object. It is called pran pratishta, Dignity of life. Single pointed living. When you concentrate your mind on a single point, on self, you will give life to yourself. This is real pran pratishta. Once our mind is single pointed then our act is from self-awareness, which has universal energy in it. This will give life to our act, then our act will not be from duty but joy of presenting the universe through it. This is our dignity.
7. Self-study, austerity and single point focused mind is something that is your birthright. Claim it! Dedication and perseverance are the keys to overcoming these obstacles. Just like a river overcomes all obstacles in its way and keeps flowing towards its ultimate goal, similarly, if you continue with your consistent practice, you will overcome the obstacles. This brings clarity and reduces distractions. It is the source of joy, peace, and bliss. Your life will become real life, and your death will become a meaningful death, a door to the divine.