Psychology Takes Us to the Screen; Yoga Takes Us Beyond It.

 Suppose here is a screen, and behind the screen is wonderful scenery. There is a small hole in the screen through which we can catch only a little bit of the scenery behind. Suppose that hole becomes increased in size. As the hole increases in size, more and more of the scenery behind comes within the range of vision, and when the whole screen has disappeared, there is nothing between the scenery and you; you see the whole of it. This screen is the mind of man. Behind it is the majesty, the purity, the infinite power of the soul, and as the mind becomes clearer and clearer, purer and purer, more of the majesty of the soul manifests itself. Not that the soul is changing, but the change is in the screen. The soul is the unchangeable One, the immortal, the pure, the ever -blessed one. Page 47

I often speak to how Yoga is the ultimate psychology, taking us through the mess of the mind to that which exists behind it.  Psychology, as we know it,  tends to focus on the screen in an attempt to soothe the flickering images on it, in an attempt to fix any holes in it, and in an attempt to preserve it.  Yoga,  on the other hand, attempts to gently wipe those flickering images off the screen, making it as clean and as transparent as possible so we can see and experience the soul behind it. Yoga knows that this screen is in the way of what is truly important. It encourages the hole in the screen of mind to expand and expand until there is no screen,  so we become one with the majestic scenery of spirit. 

This screen is personal mind and like so many other screens it pulls consciousness in and holds onto it to the point we become one with it, assuming we are the screen. 

Indian philosphy: the soul of man is like a piece of crystal, but it takes the colour of whatever is near it....The colour is so strong, the crystal forgets itself and identifies itself with the colour. ...We have taken the colour of the body and forgotten what we are. All our fears, all worries, anxieties, troubles, mistakes, weakness, evil, are from that one great blunder-that we are bodies. page 46

We, of course, suffer with all our grasping, clinging, and pushing away in an attempt to preserve this screen, to prevent it from ripping, when we do that. We have this conditioned tendency to attempt to fix and control what is happening out there so we feel better in here. Yet, Life is determined to do what Life does...sending blow after blow our way.  Not even psychology can help us with that one. 

Unlike contemporary psychology, yoga teaches we are not the screen...we are that which exists behind it. Yoga encourages those blows or challenges to the mind that creates holes. It sees the holes as a positive thing for our growth and eventual freedom. 

Blows are what awaken us and help us to break the dream. They show us the insufficiency of this world and make us long to escape, to have freedom...page 44

Yoga encourages the holes to expand. It wants the screen clean and pure.  It therefore wants the mind to be free and clear of all that is blocking Shakti, that is clouding up our ability to see what is truly real behind this psyche illusion. Our Yoga practice, then, expands the holes.

We need to stop putting all our energy on attempting to stop Life from tearing at these screens of personal mind. We need to welcome the blows,  and the holes, knowing  that who we truly are and what is truly important is that which exists beyond the screen, not on it. 

All is well!

Swami Vivekananda ( 2019) Meditation and Its Methods. General Press ( Kindle Edition)