MORNING PRAYER

asto ma sadgamaya, tamasoma jotir gamaya

mrityormaamritam gamaya, Om shanti shanti shantih

,
,
,
From ignorance, lead me to truth, From darkness, lead me to light,
From death, lead me to immortality, Om peace, peace, peace

PRATYAHARA
Sense Discipline
Let's understand this
with a STORY!

Once upon a time, there was a very

adventurous man. He really liked
climbing different mountains and
experiencing the kick of scaling new
peaks and doing adventures.

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 At the end of one such trek, he
scaled one of the Shivalik ranges in
Uttarakhand in northern India. As
he scaled the peak, he spotted a
sage meditating at a distance. The
man walked towards the sage. As
he opened his eyes, the man asked him, 'Sir, What are you doing at
the top of this mountain in solitude?' The hermit replied 'I have a lot
of work to complete here before I return to the plains!' Puzzled, the
mountaineer asked, 'Work? I don't see anyone or anything around.'
Calmness personified, the sage
responded,'I have to tame some wild
animals-two hawks, two bears, two
rabbits, one donkey and a snake.'
The man looked around and said,
'But I don't see any animals around'

The thoughtful sage explained,

'Well, I have these two cunning
hawks who always look for a prey
and are eager to land on nasty
places. I want to train and tame
them such that they only go to
good places. These two hawks are my two fault-finding eyes.'

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'I also have to subdue two mighty
bears. They are always trying to
snatch and attack. I need to train
them not to just take but also give.
These two beasts are my hands.'

The hermit continued, 'I need to

pacify two restless rabbits. They are
always trying to avoid challenges
and go only to places of comfort.
These rabbits are my two legs.'

'Then, I have to control this stubborn

donkey. It refuses to work and is a
very lazy fellow. It likes to rest but
brays with excuses when the time to
contribute arrives. It is my body.'

'The worst is the snake. It spits

venom and bites without warning,
although caged. And this snake is
my tongue. It spits out envy, anger,
harsh speech, criticism, and lies.'

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The thoughtful sage thus explained to the courageous mountaineer
that the real adventure in life begins when we conquer the inner
world. This struck the mountaineer with wonder.

MORAL
How often have we read and discussed the importance of physical
fitness? Yes, it's indeed important but we don't attribute as
much importance to mental fitness and mind control.

We understand the world through our 5 senses but everyday we

get so much information through these that our minds are
constantly running. Today I want pizza, tomorrow I want a new
job, day after a want that kind of a relationship.
Constantly feeding our desires.

Pratyahara means withdrawal of senses. Turning them inwards.

But we’re not there yet. We’re beginners. So first let's learn to
use the senses correctly before we can turn them inwards.

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 How to apply Pratyahara in daily life?

TONGUE - from very spicy, hot, fried, grainy foods to simple

food like salads and soups. When we overcook our food, and
then consume, it is very disturbing for the mind - 'jesa ann
vesa mann'. Once we have our tongue under control, other
senses will automatically come under control.

EYES - constantly scrolling and consuming so much constent.

Let's learn to sit with our eyes closed, we don't need to see
something all the time.

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NOSE - switch from harsh perfumes to essential oils. Camphor,
eucalyptus, etc. Burn incense, you'll feel a sense of calmness
and purification.

EARS - move from gossiping/loud music to listening to kirtan.

They are very calming.

SKIN - Reduce sexual indulgence - When

we are constantly seeking sexual
satisfaction, we end up wasting a lot of
energy on momentary pleasure. It may
sometimes lead us to make bad choices
too. Intimacy is great but overindulgence
in sexuality is wasteful.
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MEDITATION TO BRING OUR SENSES UNDER CONTROL
focus on ...
5 things you can SEE,
4 things you can TOUCH,
3 things you can HEAR,
2 things you can SMELL,
1 thing you can TASTE.

ACTIVITY OF THE DAY

Pratyahara in daily life

Think of at least 3 more ways in
which we can adapt Pratyahara
into our daily life. How can we give
our senses more rest? How can we
nourish our senses more? How can
we sharpen our senses more? We
can't wait to watch your videos!

Notes created by Satvic Team