Sutra 1.33: You Hold the Keys

Samadhi Pada: Yoga of Being in the Now

1.33 Maitri karuna mudita upekshanam sukha duhka punya apunya vishayanam bhavanatah chitta prasadanam

• maitri = friendliness / pleasantness
• karuna = compassion / kindness / empathy
• mudita = joy / goodwill / delight
• upekshanam = equanimity / disregard / neutrality
• sukha = happiness / pleasure 
• duhka = suffering / sorrow
• punya = virtuous / benevolent
• apunya = nonvirtuous / impure
• vishayanam = toward / in relation to
• bhavanatah = cultivating / nurturing
• chitta = mind / consciousness
• prasadanam = undisturbed calmness

𝐹𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 ~ 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 ~ 𝐽𝑜𝑦 ~ 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑦

*** remember these words . . . . they are the keys!

Being human can be difficult! Though they can bring us the most joy, sometimes the most difficult part of being human is the relationships we have and the interactions we have within these relationships. In the last sutra (1.32), Patanjali talks about how a crucial element of yoga is one-pointed focus. But, if our mind is directed towards other things (like our relationships), it's difficult to maintain one focal point. In sutra 1.33, Patanjali lists 4 locks (or ways our mind creates obstacles) in regards to our relationships and 4 keys to help overcome these obstacles. Now, it may appear that Patanjali is telling us what to do, but in fact he is directing us towards how to BE. Create the environment and habit of being friendly, compassionate, joyful and equanimous and you won't even have to think about which keys to use in which locks. You'll already BE the things you need to be in order to overcome these particular obstacles! Basically, we are given ways to promote and maintain inner peace in order to have balanced interactions.

This sutra lists four situations that people may be in that challenge us in our thoughts. Though we are all different people, we often share the same human experience and for whatever reason, our minds often tend to gravitate towards the negative (or locks) in these situations. Patanjali gives us a kind of playbook in order to prepare us for the possibility that the negative thoughts/reactions may arise and our job isn't necessarily to suppress them or to reprimand ourselves for having them, but instead our job is to activate the key and cultivate the opposite. As we go through the list, acknowledge if you are currently facing any of these situations and if it may be beneficial to activate any of these keys.

1. Cultivate friendliness (maitri) towards those who are happy (sukha)
• Lock (obstacle) - Whether due to success or circumstance, happy people can trigger our own frustration, disappointment, failure, or regret. Even if it is someone we deeply care about, know that feelings of jealousy or inferiority may arise. 
• Key (qualities to cultivate) - Instead of feeling bad about negative emotions that come up and piling guilt or shame on top, turn instead towards friendliness. Cultivate kindness and wishes for their continued success and know that there is ALWAYS enough happiness to go around. Life isn't a competition, and other people's happiness contributes to the lightness in the world and will never take your happiness away.
2. Cultivate compassion (karuna) towards those who are suffering (dukha)
• Lock - Sometimes another person's suffering can create feelings of frustration. When someone is close to us, and we think that the solution to their pain is obvious, or their suffering has gone on for a prolonged amount of time, feelings of being imposed upon may come up.  
• Key - Work to cultivate compassion and support, and remember that everyone experiences and deals with emotions, situations and circumstances differently. Our way is not the way for everyone and our only job in order to activate this key is to offer compassion.
3. Cultivate joy (mudita) towards those who are virtuous (punya)
• Lock - Like happiness, traits of virtue or merit in others can cause feelings of inadequacy to arise.
• Key - Cultivating joy is the key to this lock. Instead of pulling others down, think about helping to build them up more. Celebrate the good qualities in others and know that even people you may not like very much (we will never like everyone, just as not everyone will like us) have positive traits. Can you be inspired instead of threatened by the goodness in others?
4. Cultivate equanimity (upekshanam) towards those who are nonvirtuous (apunya)
• Lock - When you see someone doing something you believe to be wrong, your first reaction may be to act. Unless it is something that needs immediate action, Patanjali advises against this.
• Key - Work to cultivate equanimity and restraint. Instant reaction will often make things a lot worse. A quote by Mahavira says "Anger begets more anger, and forgiveness and love lead to more forgiveness and love." So, Patanjali isn't necessarily saying not to act against wrong doing, but he is saying to first contemplate judgements and then to engage in a nonviolent way. 

Friendliness, compassion, joy and equanimity - the keys to the locks of relationships. With keys activated, the practice of yoga gets just a little bit easier and life may be just a little more peaceful. Therefore, your challenge for the week is to be mindful of your interactions, identify if you are trapped in any locks and work with any keys that could be cultivated. When we think of interactions, we tend to focus on our relationship with other people. However, what about your relationship with yourself? Can you direct friendliness towards your happiness, be compassionate to yourself when you are suffering, feel joy in your virtues and find equanimity when you fail? Bonus points, friends, if you remember to work on your relationship with yourself! 

Sutra 1.33 Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy,
compassion toward the suffering, joy toward the virtuous and equanimity toward the nonvirtuous.