Sutra 1.41: Clear as a Crystal

Sutra 1.41:Ksinavrtteh-abhijatasya-iva-maneh-grahitr-grahana-grahyesu-tatstha-tadanjanata-samapattih

When the mind is stilled, we become like a crystal, with the clarity to experience free from the colorings of the past and the projections of the future.

Sutra 1.41 presents us with the concept of samapatti, considered a lower stage of samadhi. This is when the mind is totally stilled and it no longer colors the experience with past impressions. This could also be considered a letting go and a coming together. When we are able to detach or “let go” from our strong opinions, our preferences, and our distastes, a mass amount of space becomes available for a divine union to occur, a coming together of body, mind, and spirit. This space is pure and untouched by emotion and reactivity.

Now that sounds just delightful, a place so calm and at ease, that it is undisturbed by the faults of others, the regrets of yesterday, the blames of today, and the worries of tomorrow. This is the promise of meditation. That it is possible to be here on this earth with all of the chaos and corruption, with all of the politics and power mongers, with all of the injustice and insanity, and be untouched, undisturbed, and free from our own psychosis.

This could potentially be interpreted as being zombie like, unfeeling and uncaring. This is not so, for having the mental clarity to untether yourself from your past and your projections is like being a crystal ball. You get to see the truth of the present and  contribute to the moment as the heroine who creates freedom for the future. Radical responsibility for the moment is the remedy, it is the only way. Why? Because it is the most powerful gift I can give, my peace with the present.

Our collective current moments equals the state of humanity, so as a human, I only have the power to contribute me, but if I spend all my time trying to mold the contribution of you or my parents or the president or whoever else we complain about, I forgo my own gift. Let us choose our gifts over our grievances.

Muchas Gracias,

As always, this is my humble interpretation, of something I have not really experienced, and so my words cannot and will not be a representation coming from direct experience. And, even if they had, there is so much space for your interpretation to represent your truth. I believe it is always more about the intention and the sincerity rather than specifics.

With so much love,

Andrea Dawn