Sutra 1.30: Obstacle #4: Carelessness

Yoga Sutra 1.30 presents us with nine different obstacles of the mind on our journey towards samadhi. These obstacles are disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, fatigue, sensory attachment, wrong perspective, non-achievement, and non-steadiness.

Today we are exploring more in depth the fourth obstacle which is pramada or carelessness. Each one of these obstacle continues to build upon the next. Or in other words, the dis-ease will spread. If you are not at ease, body, mind, or spirit, then you lack vitality and enthusiasm, which fills you up with doubt, which leaves you with no room for care. Caring requires you and your presence. If no one is home to feed the dog or water the plants, they die. If no one is at home within you, your morals and values die, your integrity dies, your relationships die, you die.

On the other hand when we care too much about what people think, or the forming of the wrinkles on our brow, or our perceived perceptions about what is perfect and about what everyone else is doing and accomplishing, we also die. Caring can be life giving or life taking. Sometimes we need to be more care-less about the things that don’t natter, so we have the capacity to care more about the things that do. If we cared less about FB or YOUTube, would we have the space to care more about our humans and our pets and our passions?

We must be proactive and full of care to cultivate a lifestyle that supports our ability to care more or less, depending upon the situation. This means creating a peaceful environment around you, engaging only in relationships and activities that align with your goodness, committing to your commitments, slowing down, and doing less, with more of you.

The quality of care you gift today, will be the blossoming of the gift we call tomorrow.

Muchas Gracias Dear Reader,

May these words inspire your today and gift you the inspiration to direct your caring to the places that really matter.

Love,

Andrea Dawn