Today, our teacher was talking about vichara. The notion behind vichara is this: within every thought you have, there is the seed of desire. And resting inside every seed of desire lies samskara (habitual pattern- the way you always react/think/behave). In one of our meditations, we were asked to try a different technique. Instead of clearing the mind; instead of ignoring the monkeys and their antics, we were encouraged to trace each thought to the seed. Aren't you curious about where the mind goes when it's not doing your bidding? And further, why it's going there?

There is a growing trend in our yoga culture of dismissing our minds, our desires, our dissatisfaction-- even our unhappiness. And while it is true that sometimes our unhappiness is caused by unrealistic hopes and unreasonable expectations, not not all of our thoughts and not all of our unhappiness comes from the lower mind. Have you considered that nagging nudge might just be coming from your higher mind- the voice of the soul compelling you to a different choice, a better life, greater contentment?

Our practice, in its many forms, is about attending to the Self. What is happening in there, when we stop everything else we are doing and pay attention? Are you using your practice to attend to all of yourself, or just the bits you like? Hmmm.