Ishvara-pranidhanad va (1:23)
The more direct method to reaching the state of samadhi is by surrendering to the divine plan.
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klesha-karma-vipakashayair aparamrshtah purusha-vishesha Ishvarah (1:24)
The divine plan is the source of our true nature and is flawless.
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tatra niratishayam sarvajna-bijam (1:25)
The divine is both all-knowing and knowledge itself.
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purvesham api guruh kalenanavachchedat (1:26)
The divine has always existed and is the supreme teacher.
LET’S TALK ABOUT one of those sticky-dinner-table topics: God.
Here, Patanjali tells us the quickest, most direct way to find peace and ease in our life and to live in flow is to surrender to God. This isn’t a creator God, God on high, or even one perched atop a pedestal. Ishvara is the pure essence, universal good, the eternal love that lives within everything and everyone. Like air or water, this divinity is an element that touches and lives within all things.
Life is always changing, but the divinity that weaves through each of us is constant, whole, unbroken. Understanding and accepting this gives us strength and support in the face of life’s shifts, fluctuations, and turmoil. No matter what we face, we are connected. We are not alone.
REFLECTION
These sutras define the divine. Write down what divinity means to you. Keeping your definition in mind, when do you feel most connected to the divine? How can you bring more of that into your life?
tasya vachakah pranavah (1:27)
The divine is expressed through the sound OM.
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taj-japas tad-artha-bhavanam (1:28)
Repeating and reflecting on OM reveals the meaning of the divine.
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tatah pratyak-chetanadhigamo’ py antarayabhavash cha (1:29)
We understand and experience our potential divinity by chanting and reflecting upon OM.
Early in Kelly’s practice, she rarely chanted, even the simple OM. No one ever mistook her for a rock star, and she was afraid her voice would bother other people. She would sit and listen, feel the vibration of the other voices ripple through her, and wait to start her practice. Then a teacher with a booming voice and a gift for encouraging even the shyest of students into joining simple, beautiful chants gave her the confidence to try. Eventually she understood she wasn’t waiting to start her practice after everyone chanted OM, but that was the start of her practice.
OM is more than the start of our practice, more than an invitation to begin. The symbol and the word represent the divine thread that runs through the universe. It is a reflection of that energy, and by practicing, repeating, and meditating on OM, we can begin to understand and connect with that divinity. Through OM, we connect with our inner being and are able to overcome obstacles.
Picture an ice-skating rink that has been skated on constantly for several days. The grooves in the ice are deep and easily catch the blades of our skates. The mind works the same way. A thought, feeling, or image that repeats itself creates a groove that’s tough to smooth out. OM is like the Zamboni for the mind, resurfacing and smoothing out the things that trip us up. It is a mental reset.
It’s a mental reset with scientific backing. A study published in the International Journal of Yoga found that chanting OM reduced activity in the limbic system, the part of the brain associated with stress and emotions. In another study, scientists from the National Institutes of Health found those who practiced kirtan kriya, a meditative form of yoga that involves chanting, saw substantial improvement in mood and mental health. These studies dovetail nicely with other research that shows that singing, playing, and listening to music can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
If chanting isn’t for you, there are other ways to meditate on OM. You can listen to other people or recordings of OM. You can write the word out. You can draw or color the symbol. Studies show that silent repetition does have an effect. One study showed it can improve subjective mood, and others have shown that even imagining performing music strengthens nerve connections. The power of OM is greater than the aural sound.
REFLECTION
Create a practice using OM. For the next seven days, take five minutes to follow that practice and journal how you feel after.