Sutures and Sutras
The sutras for me, Wendy, the owner of WYoga have been sutures for spiritual and psychological injuries.
What are the sutras? There are many sutras. Karma Sutras, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Bhakti sutras to name a few. Sutra means thread, in this case threads of wisdom. They are usually one line or two. The reason that the foundational texts for the sutras are, more often than not, lengthy is because the author waxes on about their unique view, translation of whichever ancient sutras they are writing about.
Needless to say, that as society evolves these translations or insights on the sutras change.
Beginning students of yoga learn, parts of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (YSP) - at least in the West. The more I study and read them, the more evident it is that there are Universal truths that transcend space, time, cultures. All the best self-help books can find their wisdom in the YSP.
The YSP are divided into 4 books, or Padas. The first Pada, sutra one can be translated as: Now we begin the study of yoga OR Yoga can only be studied in the now. Taking the latter translation - this means that the point of empowerment, of change is always in the present moment. Or in other words “The Power of Now” a book written by E. Tolle on that ONE sutra!
When the past happened it was in the present, when the future happens it will be in the present… the tipping point to heal the past, and shift the future is always in the present….. the trick is how to stay mindfully aware of this moment, this breath, the finger hitting the keys of the laptop, the sounds of the tv in the other room….
There are many ways, one powerful way is to focus on the breath. And if that does not calm the mind, say out loud on the inhale “I am breathing in” on the exhale say, I am breathing out” or on the in-breath say “present'“ on the out-breath say ‘Moment''….. another simple way is to find an activity that absorbs the body and mind, so much so that whatever you are worrying about fades to the background. Even if it’s a short reprive that, for some of us, can be miracle enough.
