There has been an innate pull in humans for thousands of years to seek calm states within and learn to self-regulate. This pull can be traced back to the times of the Vedas, which date back anywhere from 4,000 to 8,000 years. It is programmed into even a single-celled amoeba the drive to seek safety and nourishment, and move away from danger. As humans, we do the same.
In the Indic traditions, it is possible to find peaceful states within which are accompanied by a sense of purpose and meaning when we live in alignment with dharma. Dharma is adhering to the things in our lives that we are called to do, and the things in our lives that we are obligated to do, even when challenging. It is a part of our moral and ethical character and built into our DNA, both genetic and karmic.
Dharma is to do the right thing at the right time for the best possible outcome.
The way to live in alignment with dharma means to practice self-regulation, called sama and dama. Sama is the self-regulation of the mind, and dama of the sense organs. When we can regulate both the mind and sense organs, we can automatically regulate our actions, behaviors, addictions, and weak areas in our character.
The problems that we have in the world now are not new; people have faced stress and danger since people existed. It is simply that we have contemporary ways of encountering these problems.
Societies that do not encourage self-reflection do not create a self-regulating population.
Societies that do encourage self-regulation progress in ways that bring out the best in humanity. Self-reflection is built into regulation. If we do not self-reflect and only try to regulate, then we become repressed. However, if we examine our tendencies and where they are arising from, and sense the energy around them, they loosen their hold on us. So, regulation isn’t simply about restriction, it is about reflection.
There are three principles of dharma
Daya – compassion (karuna)
Dana – charity (tyaga)
Dama – self-control (nigraha)
In the Indic traditions, practical experience always precedes theory. All theory comes from a direct experience of truth. The Rishis practiced, meditated, did penance, realized truth, and then transmitted those realizations through teachings and a variety of practical methods. These teachings have loosely been grouped into the various Yoga and meditative traditions.
An essential aspect of Yoga is that it should and will, if done in the right way, bring us into alignment with dharma. This is why compassion, charity, and self-control are foundational. Asanas, pranayama, and meditation are practices that help with self-regulation so that we can practice the three-fold aspects of dharma.
To bring ourselves into a full alignment with dharma is Yoga, and the reason we come to Yoga. In simple terms, we come to Yoga to know who we are, what are purpose is, and how we should live.
In the next post, we will look at the five-fold aspects that are associated with the mind, body, emotions, and perceptions, that can be our friends or foes in spiritual involution.