Yesterday's yoga lesson was a very difficult session. My teacher,M have just got back from KL from a refresher course to improve yoga techniques and she review a major shift in one of pose. The pose have been taught to me for more than 4 years and the difference is pushing our shoulders in instead of pushing it out and let our heart melt and soften to the heart. It is only a small adjustment but it was so difficult to follow. The previous pose has become of our routine and mental habit.
Human nature can be trained and we could brainwash ourselves if the message is repeated again and again or a process have been repeatedly done for a long time. I remembered of a test by a laboratory scientist. I do not remembered his name already. He put rat in a cage and he makes several different passage ways and let the rat run through all the passage ways which could lead the rat running in circles or to dead ends and only one path that leads to food at the end of the cage. At certain time of the day, he will ring a bell for food and for the first few times, the rat got lost but he guide it a long to the food area. After repeating this steps numerous times, the rat was able to find the correct path to the food. And at each bell, the rat will run towards the food area and eat its food. The ringing of the bell makes the rat hungry and it will automatically run through the same path to the food. After a few years, by ringing of the bell, the rat will run to the food area even if there is not the time for food. This is human nature, it develops mental habits and routine. A creature of habits and comforts.
The same applies to the yoga pose. When the teacher say "down dove", we will just move into that position and it becomes a nature re-action. Now, we have to break the habit and move our body to a different pose. The unlearning process is so difficult especially when your body is of a certain age. Young people or beginners are more adjustable and correctible. For me, it will take a long time to adjust and to unlearn.
I have written an article about a business man who seeks the help of his Master to solve a business problem. He went up the mountains to visit his Master and on reaching, he saw his Master drinking tea at his meditation site. He greed his Master and took a seat by side him. He told his Master his problem and he had failed to resolve his problem. He has used his usual ways to handle the problem but it could not be resolved. His Master did not say a word and took a cup and place infront of the businessman and he starts to pour tea into his cup. The Master did not stop pouring the tea into the cup even if the tea was over flowing and the businessman gets excited and told the Master to stop. But, the Master did not say a word and after awhile stop and asked the businessman to go home and think about it. The businessman was very surprise and he thanked his Master and went home. He thought about the incident and could not get the meaning for a long while. The next morning, he repeated the action himself , pouring the tea from his teapot. Finally, he realized the message. What is the message ?
The message is to pour away the tea that is filling the cup before we pour in the tea. We need to empty the cup that is full before we fill another cup. The meaning is if our mind is full of tea and we keep pouring tea in it , the fresh tea will not go in. The tea already in the cup can no longer accept the fresh bout of tea. So, we have to empty off the tea and get fresh tea or idea to handle the problem. If our mind if full, we will only go in circles and using the usual way to solve the new problems and it may not be the solution. So, we have to unlearn what we learn and take a fresh look at the problem.
So, ringing of the bell does not mean you are hungry and we have to break away from this thoughts and really look at the situation thoroughly and with a fresh pair of eyes. We have to be aware that we are creature of habits and routines. We act on impulse and re-act based on our mental habits. We are not ourselves or the decision is not what we make but based on experience and mental habits. If you look at yourself carefully and thoroughly, you are really a walking zombie unless you break your habits and think before you act. Any spontaneously response is not you.
We have to take a page from my yoga lesson, I have to look at my pose and be aware of the changes to my body pose to realize when it has gone wrong. But, it is never too late to realize the fault and adjust it gradually.
There is a wide world outside, shift your perspective and explore yourself.
Namaste.
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