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As the mind begins to slow down, we experience moments of inner quiet and peace. "The purpose of yoga is to quiet the disturbances
of the mind " - Patanjali. Concentration and focus result from yoga practice and enhance everything we do. Concentration deepens
and gradually develops into meditation. We begin to live more in the present moment. We've been everywhere BUT the present
for most of our lives, and unable to see what's right in front of us. Hopes, fears, and general unwillingness to accept reality
distort our perceptions. "The highest yoga is to see reality as it is" - Yogi Amrit Desai. We become more aware of the roots
of our own conditioning and how that has shaped our lives. We begin to move from the subconscious to the conscious, giving
us a greater awareness in our daily interactions. The study of our own consciousness - and the insight that results - is called
jnana yoga. We move beyond concepts and mental constructs into direct encounter with reality, like adventurers exploring an
unknown world.
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Through meditation we watch mental and emotional states pass before us like clouds - powerful but impermanent. This ability
to observe our mind states helps us integrate strong feelings without identifying with them so much. Mind states go on like
an endless movie - sometimes we are the hero, sometimes the villain. But they are at the surface of our being and not at the
core, where the spirit is quiet and eternal.
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