Even When We Know

Even when we know: 

even when we know that they exist we remain helpless in their grip, samskaras, mental patterns of endless draw and repetition that play throughout our mind. These are our default mode of behavior, mental impressions that are often so subtle that we fail to realize the power that they hold. They are not inherently good or bad, but simply patterns of our thoughts and reactions grooved into mind over a lifetime, maybe longer, and they become the means of our expression - automatic, with no thought given as to how we navigate our lives. 

our samskaras negate freewill.

even when we know that they exist. 

yet that's also the first step in breaking their absolute hold, being aware, and discovering that there is a choice here after all. But what it takes is an intention, after first becoming aware there must be a strong desire to break free from our habitual behaviors. The first step, most important of all, is to be aware, just seeing that we are not at fault here, we're prisoners of our very own minds. With awareness comes change, sometimes completely on its own, more often with no small degree of practice. Meditation, breathwork, cultivating steadiness through the asanas of yoga - these are our tools for freedom. 

what happens is that we begin to notice, catching that first subtle pull of our reactions and not immediately being drawn into our usual patterns. We might not even notice this at first, people remark that we've changed, grown more peaceful through our practice. But the truth is that we've created new and more creative patterns for our expression, our minds opting for an easy course of action. We're more relaxed now, and even when we're drawn in to old familiar patterns we'e able to soon recognize samskaras at work, quickly changing the energy of the situation. 

that's the peace found through awareness.

it's our smile of recognition. 

patterns are just patterns. 

they're not who we are. 

and now we know. 

~

Peace, Eric