तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम्॥२५॥
tatra niratisayam sarvajna-bijam
There – in Isvara – (tatra), the highest (niratisayam) source or seeds of wisdom are found (sarvajna-bijam).
PRACTICAL LIVING The previous two sutras introduced the idea of a higher power as a tool for meditation. Patanjali offers students the option to use that faith to take us to a more peaceful place mentally. Sutra I.24 describes what this higher power is not (affected by the sources of suffering which affect human beings). Here Patanjali begins to describe what this higher power is. He says isvara’s (God, higher power) understanding is beyond any human comparisons. How can this Light/Higher Power/God be so extraordinary? He knows everything there is to be known. In other words, Patanjali tells us that if we are going to choose a God or higher power to have faith in, we should choose one that understands everything and sees with absolute clarity.
IN THE YOGA WORLD The hardest tools to master in Yoga are the more subtle ones. Concepts such as detachment, trust, letting go of the results, making all our actions devotional among others require a lot of commitment (see Sutra I.1). Many of us are covered with a veil of ignorance (avidya), which prevents us from seeing things clearly, but only from a very narrow perspective. We suffer, act in the same way as we did before, then suffer again. Some of us have the ability to find a deep trust within ourselves, or we have a connection with something beyond our minds which allows us to work the more subtle aspects of yoga. However, others don’t and need to find that trust through an external concept of God. Patanjali does not judge. He offers many options and realizes that since we are different, many paths can lead to the same place. For those of us who choose to believe in God, he asks to cultivate an understanding that God is omniscient. Whereas humans have the ability to attain infinite knowledge, they will not attain the seed (bijam) of that knowledge, only God will. All beings have knowledge. Great masters, yogis and sages may have great knowledge. God, according to Patanjali, goes beyond all those.
INSPIRATIONAL PERSON Maureen is a devotional being. From her yoga practice, to her relationships, her career choices, her facebook posts to her perspective on life and people, she is consistently looking towards the Divine and a trust beyond the brain’s comprehension. She touches people with her gentle yet warrior-like character. This woman has been through many challenges in life and her faith in a Higher Power and her positive attitude towards growth remains intact. I feel extremely blessed to know this woman and have shared so many joyous moments with her! Thank you dearest Maureen, for your continuous reminder of a higher trust! Love you chica!
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I can relate isvara mostly with letting go of the results or sort of just letting fate do its thing. This is really hard for me or probably most people to do because if I’m putting all of this work into accomplishing something (tapas), I either want immediate results or a particular result. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize that the result might not be the one that you want or that you may get the result you want but it could be years before it happens. I’m starting to at least become aware that my actions might not bring about the results that I want or that it may take much longer than what I’d like. I guess to put it simply, whatever happens will happen.
We are brought into the world for a reason and it’s not random. The divine one has envisioned and arranged us to be existent to function and contribute a certain number of things to the world. Let’s ask what i can do to better myself, what i can do to help or inspire others, or how i can contribute. Or maybe just simply love more, care more about people around us. Embrace ourselves and unite as one. Hatred and violence are just somethings that manifest over time when people stop loving and caring for others; let’s not go astray, and align ourselves with the creator’s envision on how we love and help others.
One of the ways that I choose to practice a sort of attention to Isvara, is that I am trying to be devotional and ritualize almost every aspect of my daily practices. From practicing yoga, to how I pay attention to my body and mind as I get ready for the day, to daily chores that must be done – I am working on giving them all that sense of reverence. I feel that one of the biggest lessons that philosophical and religious tenets give me is the act of paying attention, of making every act and thought special. In this way, we devote the necessary time and energy to each task or thought, as opposed to just rushing through – or, the opposite, by obsessing on just one thing over others.