To use only one sutra as an example (this translation by Barbara Stoler Miller):
Aversion to one's body and avoidance of contact with others comes from bodily purification. (40) Also purity of intelligence, mental satisfaction, psychic focus, victory over the sense organs, and a vision of one's inner being. (41) Perfect happiness is attained through contentment. (42) Perfection of the body and the senses comes from ascetic practice, which destroys impurities (43). Communion with one's chosen deity comes from the study of sacred lore. (44) The perfection of pure contemplation comes from dedication to the Lord of Yoga. (45) I think aversion to the body and avoidance of contact with others as an ideal or goal contains misunderstanding; I sense something anti-embodiment there. I think it is misunderstanding to have divided spirituality from life, e.g. to have monks and nuns be celibate while the laity get married (or doesn't) and has sex. Rather than separating spirituality and sexuality this way, and spirituality from daily living in the world, why not instead cultivate in all people respect for and value of all humanity, including the needs of the body, the longing for love, for sexual expression, and developing emotional and intellectual maturity to go with these? This to me is embracing being embodied rather than seeking avoidance, aversion, perfection, and victory over the body. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "BillyG." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Mary Ann" <buttercookie61@> > wrote: > > > > 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. > > > Thanks Mary Ann-I was wondering what misunderstandings you thought > Patanjali had? >
