I appreciate this awareness of context, translation, etc. and I agree that so much depends on context, and the times. Trying to be "good" means exactly what in what context? Not making noise when your Dad is asleep? Can being "good" mean flying an airplane into a building for God? To some people, yes. Something I got in CCD class long ago: "If you want to go to the school dance and your father says no, GOD SAID NO!" Unfortunately, this is how the do's and don'ts of religion and spirituality come across to me, including the new-age ones such as those taught in Buddhism, and yoga.
Patanjali's teachings come from ancient times and contain usual oppressive misunderstandings about humanity. The oppression of the female/feminine I consider to be one of the worst mistakes of humanity and religion. Though practice of physical hathayoga can be fantastic for balancing life energies, including those that comprise what are called "masculine/male," and "feminine/female," there is still a social/societal/supported by religion-based preference for a certain kind of "balance" that is not balance at all, but is still an oppression of the female/feminine. I think I understand the value of not "practicing" either. I have felt annoyed by the concept of "practicing nonviolence" because some of the people whose behavior has been cited to as phenomenally "nonviolent" comes from people who aren't steeped in an eastern philosophical concept nor dedicated to "nonviolence" as a movement, but who are simply acting from their hearts with all of the strength of their convictions and dedication to freedom and survival, such as Harriet Tubman. I also agree that doing the activities of yoga, meditation, eating right, exercising, etc. help create an environment conducive to health and happiness. Yet, sometimes, humans may still become grumpy: Weather. Sometimes overcast. Sometimes rain. Sometimes the sun shines. It's just weather. (That's my little Haiku for the day :) > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, new.morning <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > Thank you for posting this because it has helped crystallize some > > insights. Even though we may be ending up at quite opposite, or at > > least distance, shores from on another. > > > > Four points that crystallized: ... ... ... --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "BillyG." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I think your comment "One can't try to be good" is very detrimental to > your spiritual progress as God has given you *free will*, which > ensures that you can indeed try to be good, and be successful at it > too, I might add! > > If you decide the admonitions of Patanjali are too archaic for you to > follow and decide to forgo all proscriptions and prescriptions of > Religion, that is your choice, but the laws of karma adjust cause and > effect just the same! Life is about choices....... >
