So much of our path on the yoga journey is determined by context.
Sometimes, we climb a spiritual mountain to gain perspective, but once the perspective has been gained, it is necessary to hike back down the mountain to return to civilization. So which is the “correct” direction to move in life? Up? Or down? As you can see, the answer depends on how far along you are on your journey.
Even when you know which direction to choose in order to progress, there are times when life presents us with tough choices. It’s not always easy to determine which direction to head in next. Again, let’s use the example of climbing a mountain to better understand.
Imagine you are climbing to the top, and are pretty far along an arduous and difficult trek. You’ve made it above timberline and are close to reaching your goal, but you are now also more exposed to the elements. You see a storm starting to build. At that point, it would be a good idea to retreat back down to the relative shelter of the forest. But frequently, the mind gets in the way of wisdom because it becomes attached to pleasant experiences (raga). Since the “glory” and enjoyment of climbing a mountain lies in reaching the peak, (You’ve worked so hard, and come so far!), your mind resists retreating from the storm, even once you see the lightning crackle, and hear the thunder boom.
On the flip side, what if the storm you see developing isn’t life-threatening, and will pass by in a matter of minutes? The mind also gets in the way of true progress through an aversion to unpleasant experiences (dvesa). It’s possible your mind pushes you to beat a retreat too soon, because being wet in the cold is truly miserable. (You could catch a cold, maybe even pneumonia!)
Even if climbing a mountain isn’t the best analogy for you, surely you can imagine an example that demonstrates the human inability to “let go” of something pleasurable, and the inability to accept something unpleasant. With some reflection, you’ll recognize your own patterns of attachment and aversion.
Everything in life has a positive and negative side to it. Whether you decide to push onward, or head back to the beginning, you’ll never know until hindsight if you made the “correct” decision. Therefore, yoga philosophy encourages us to live as best we can in the present moment, recognizing our tendencies towards attachment and aversion to help us navigate tough decisions.
In the end, we come to understand that reaching a mountain top is never the actual goal for a spiritual seeker. The real lesson is in remaining unattached to how the journey unfolds. If each step along the path is decided without being guided by our attachments and aversions, then the mountain does not define our path. It is the opposite. Our path creates the shape of our own personal mountain, with a unique height and difficulty level perfect for us.
