One of my most favorite parts about teaching yoga is creating a theme for each class that is inspiring, encouraging, practical, and useful. The process that I go through to get here ranges, yet it always leads me more deeply into my own spiritual practice and journey. Lately I've been thinking in-depth about the subject of samskaras, their prevalence in life, and the role they play in spiritual practice. Samskaras are impressions in the mind created over time, are oftentimes karmic, & even if not karmic, are old patterns that are revisited over & again in our current lives in order for us to hopefully gain clarity around them and learn some of the deepest lessons possible this time around. I think of them like rivers in the surface of the brain: the deeper the river runs, the more prevalent the patterns is in one's life. These rivers or patterns can be so deeply ingrained that we don't even notice how they come into play in our lives, yet they seem to underlie everything that we do. Through spiritual practice where self-study plays a role, we begin to become more aware of the hold that these patterns have on us & in our lives, and in doing so, we can learn how to skillfully work with them so they aren't perhaps so painful or uncomfortable for ourselves and others each time they arise.
The Tantric approach of working with samskaras is unique and totally helpful in my opinion. Some systems think it important to "clear the slate," or, to go back to our river analogy, make dry all of the rivers so that they don't exist anymore, thus forming a desert-like landscape, free of rivers whatsoever. While this may be of benefit to some, I have to say that I appreciate working in a quite different way. The approach here offers one the opportunity to get to know a pattern deeply, going swimming in the river (without getting sucked into an eddy, of course!), without just ignoring it or running away from it (think: sprinting away from the shore of the river as soon as you feel its power), which is easy to do. If we run in the opposite direction, though, of course our samskara is going to be there awaiting us when a similar situation shows itself as had us running in the first place! So this option isn't too enhancing, although it may seem like the only one at the time. What can be really interesting & deeply engaging is noticing the emotions that arise when working with a certain pattern, and also where certain feelings arise in the body. Our bodies are so absolutely intuitive, and they oftentimes know things way before our minds do...it's like a magical feature wired into our nervous systems! Pretty sweet if we learn to listen to the signals & heed their guidance. So, for example, "When I notice myself starting to play a particular pattern out (taking responsibility is a good thing, for it gives us the ability to respond with care & clarity), how do I feel? What emotions arise with the pattern? What does it feel like in my body? Where does the pattern seem to be rooted?" Although the location of the emotions/patterns may change, it's good to notice them to begin to understand more about the way we work & where we hold things in general.
Another important part of engaging the samskaras skillfully so they don't totally have a hold on us is to trace them back to their first appearance. When we move into a meditative & contemplative space with the intention of understanding this particular facet of ourselves, it's pretty amazing how the subconscious mind begins to clue us in on exactly the information we're looking for. A whole story around a certain pattern begins to unfold that we had perhaps never pieced together in this particular way before...and once we get to see the samskara from a more expansive perspective, we have so much more of an ability to work clearly with it, seeing the connections in each instance that we were triggered and each time the samskara came into play in our lives. The points along the samskara river become highlighted, and we realize that the intense journey gave us beta along the way that just wanted us to see it, if only our third eye was open as widely as possible at the time of our first meeting! As we trace the steps of our journey back from the present into the deep & rich past, we become clear on what the samskara is, what it looks & feels like, how it plays itself out in the rich tapestry of our awareness, and how we can skillfully work with it to know it better, and eventually refine it in such a way that the ride along the river may even be sweet, ultimately leading us to a Universal experience of life.
I think this is the really good news...each samskara is an opportunity to delve into this nature of being human, eventually giving us access to an experience that we have all felt before simply by virtue of being human. For example, if the pattern is overbooking oneself to the extent of virtual breakdown, the person perhaps gets taken for a ride down the river of somewhat self-imposed exhaustion, feeling a lack of energy on any level, a lack of connection with his or her center, and completely overwhelmed by life. These feelings can eventually lead to complete & utter depletion and lack to the point that the person isn't getting wrapped up necessarily in the emotions of the experience, but is simply dwelling deeply IN the experience itself (here, of exhaustion and lack), one that we've probably all had exposure to in some way. Our depleted friend who feels a deep lack will feel the need to nourish & rejuvenate him or herself, taking time and energy from outward activities and focusing this energy inwardly. Over time, energy levels return to normal, and a balance is re-established. Once our friend becomes aware of this pattern, he or she can see and feel it before it actually happens, clearly establishing healthy and life-affirming boundaries that create balance and inner harmony before actually getting carried down the river of exhaustion. What's great to note here, though, is that just as the pattern is changeable (most everything in life is!), it also led our friend into the depths of an experience of being human, one that we've all touched in some way, shape, or form. And in knowing that most every person on the planet has felt lack and depletion at some point in their lives, our friend can take heart in recognizing that this is part of a Universal journey that ultimately, if engaged properly, leads him or her to a place of greater awareness and transformation. And because most everyone has experienced this feeling before and the emotions that come along with it, we are reminded that we're never alone on this journey of life, for so many others have been just where we are...in the grandest love, or the most intense anger, or the most expansive joy possible. What was perhaps holding us back becomes a gateway that taps us into the grandness of life's possibilities while simultaneously offering us a way in which to transform!
It may be inevitable that we go through the ringer from time to time (I'm sure you're aware of the definitely intense energetic times on our planet!), getting taken for a swift ride along the sometimes bumpy and tumultuous currents of the samskaras. But before we let the current pull us fully in, it's key to remember the tools we've gained along the way...they'll help us work through our deepest samskaras with a bit more grace and ease, although again, it may not seem like it at the time. My personal tools include: spiritual practices encompassing yoga, meditation, prayer, connection to Nature and feeling safe & supported there, reaching out to people who care about me and will listen, and the fortitude to actually be in the midst of what is happening, trusting in the process of life's unfoldment without letting it rock me too terribly. And thankfully, the tools we've gained along the way can be employed while we're being confronted with the challenges that are bound to arise from time to time. We all have access to such powerful tools & practices that remind us of the strength that's inside & the steps needed to move into a space of clarity, and the trick is to be able to see the patterns in ourselves well enough to remember the tools at the appropriate time. And like most things, time and practice certainly help with this, as long as we're willing to receive and experience life's full palette of offerings, from the most joyful and expansive to the most challenging and intense. If we're on board with this, we'll be guaranteed an interesting ride no matter what...and isn't it all about the ride?
