Sutra 1.21-1.22: You Choose

Samadhi Pada: Yoga of Being in the Now

1.21 Tivra samveganam asannah

1.22 Mrdu madhyadhimatratvat tato'pi viseah

• tivra = strong
• samveganam = sincerity / intensity
• asannah = near
• 
  
• mrdu = mild
• madhya = medium
• adhimatra = strong
• vat = or
• tatah = due to
• api = also
• visesah = differentiation

In the last few years, the idea of choice has been at the forefront of my mind. See . . . in the past I could be very good at making excuses as to why it wasn't my fault things weren't the way I wanted them to be. It was in a conversation with someone a few years ago that it became very obvious to me that everything I do, where I am in life and how I am being is ultimately made up of all of the choices I make (whether they seem big or small or whether I am conscious of them or not). This person was claiming that not everyone has the luxury of going on an international trip. I neither agreed nor disagreed because I have taken a few international trips and at the time considered myself lucky. Now, I do still consider myself lucky, however, I have met enough people on my travels to know that people who travel internationally are from a whole wide range of economic backgrounds, means, family situations, ages, etc. Those with little to no money travel and find their way to another country because they have made the CHOICE that travel is important to them. Those with money but no time have made the CHOICE that their work or business or whatever is taking up their time is more important than travel. Those who say they can't travel because they have kids have made the CHOICE that travel and child rearing are not compatible. Now this is in no way about judging anyone or their choices but simply to illustrate the fact that we choose what is important to us (whether we realize it or not) and those choices guide our actions which lead to more choices. Sutra 1.21 and 1.22 are very much about choices and how they affect our practice and our life.

The good news is that according to Patanjali everyone who practices yoga WILL reach samadhi (the ultimate goal of yoga - being in the now, connecting to our true nature, experiencing oneness with source, being in the zone, etc.). The other news is that we get to CHOOSE how slowly or how quickly we reach that state. In sutra 1.21 we get to choose how sincere we will be in our practice. Patanjali says that the stronger our sincerity and devotion to the practice, the quicker we will reach that ultimate goal. In sutra 1.22 we get to choose if the intensity of our practice is mild, medium or strong. Now remember how I have mentioned that Patanjali likes lists? These two sutras pretty much allow Patanjali to create a whole chart!

	Mild Practice	Medium Practice	Strong Practice
Mild Sincerity	Mild Practice &  Sincerity	Medium Practice & Mild Sincerity	Strong Practice &  Mild Sincerity
Medium Sincerity	Mild Practice &  Medium Sincerity	Medium Practice & Sincerity	Strong Practice & Medium Sincerity
Strong Sincerity	Mild Practice &  Strong Sincerity	Medium Practice & Strong Sincerity	Strong Practice & Sincerity

Instead of thinking that one area of the chart is better than the other, simply see it as a different range we can be on at one point or another in our practice. The hare didn't get to the finish line first, but he did eventually get there. The tortoise wouldn't have been considered to have a strong practice and strong sincerity, but he also did get to the finish line. The moral of the story is as long as we are pointed in the direction of samadhi we will all get there, but the choice is ours if we get there slower or faster. That's the beauty of this practice and the beauty of this journey of life. In any situation and at any moment we get to choose what we do, how we act/react, where we are, how we're being and if we want to be conscious and aware of all of these choices we get to make. Yes, this is overwhelming, but for this week I challenge you to choose to see ALL of your choices as nothing but empowering! 

Sutra 1.21 It (samadhi) becomes nearer to those with strong sincerity.
Sutra 1.22  There is also a differentiation if the practice is mild, medium or strong.