Traditionally, the path of Yoga is a process towards Self-realization. One of the key practices has nothing to do with the body but rather the mind. This is the practice of viveka (vi vay kuh) or discernment. It is a process of discerning what is not ‘truth’ to move more towards the truth of ‘who I am.’ Though this ultimate ‘knowing’ is not of the mind, we have to use the mind to discern ‘who I am not.’ An important aspect of this process is cultivating an attitude of curiosity. 

YOU ALREADY HAVE CURIOSITY

You might already have a sense of curiosity about the world around you. Wondering about how things work and find yourself asking “why” at times. This external curiosity is what makes for a good scientist, inventor, engineer, doctor, entrepreneur, teacher, and many other professional roles.  Technological advances in the world happen because of curiosity. I would even say that our modern world gives an opportunity for more curiosity than ever before.

TURN CURIOSITY INWARD

But, most of us haven’t been taught how to use this attitude towards inner exploration.  This is necessary for anyone drawn towards spirituality – Yoga or any other spiritual path. Yoga is actually a science of the Self. It is contrary to the fascination with the material world that we are taught in school. Yet, if you want to find internal peace and contentment, you must turn inwards and start to develop an interest in yourself.  Peace and contentment aren’t external, they are a state of being that happens from within.  

CURIOSITY ALLOWS EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO MOVE THROUGH

I remember the first moment when I stepped back and watched my first internal reaction. It was like I was watching a movie. Only it wasn’t on a screen but something being played out with my thoughts and emotions. Really, all in my mind.

I was a passenger in a car going up to the mountains to look at rentals and then visit some friends. We were moving back to the US from India and we didn’t have everything up to date with cell phones quite yet so I had written our friend’s phone number on a piece of paper.

Enjoying the view out the window, I was watching the road winding through rock canyons and mountain forests. I felt excited about being back in a landscape I loved. All of a sudden, a shock wave went through my body. I had forgotten the piece of paper with our friend’s phone number. My mind went into hyperdrive, freaking out about the what ifs and berating myself for being “so stupid.” 

Two months before, I had spent a month in Northern India with my teacher, Prasad Rangnekar, participating in a Yoga Teacher Training and Self Development course. That training helped me to start a daily Yoga practice that not only included Asana (poses), but also Pranayama (breathing techniques) and self-reflection. This practice primed my mind, in that ‘freak out’ moment, to create curiosity about my reaction. I ‘watched’ myself have that tantrum until it started to subside, the energy moved through my system.

I ‘GET IT!’

Distinctly, I remember taking a full breath and a long exhale, my mind calmed down and a thought came through, “It’ll work out and be fine.” I even started laughing at myself. I told my partner what had just happened and he said, “Twyla, it’s going to be fine.” He was not worried in the least about connecting with our friend.

All of a sudden, I completely understood what it meant to meet an emotion with curiosity, to let it move through and not get drawn into that reaction.  Before then, even though I thought I understood the concept of this, I didn’t really ‘get it’ until this experience of watching my reaction. In that moment, I discerned that I am not my emotions or my thoughts. Those are part of my reaction system and by discerning this, I was able to consciously not ‘freak out’ with my mind but watch it like I’d watch a drama movie. 

Instead of feeling the tension and the narrow vision of worry, I felt empowered and more at peace. I had a choice! I had options! All of this stemmed from cultivating an attitude of curiosity.

CULTIVATE CURIOSITY!

Our emotional reactions are not something to fear. They are communication from our system that are asking to be heard and observed with curiosity. Just like we feel connected and satisfied when we feel heard by someone, our emotional reactions usually settle down when they are heard and noticed.

A visual image I think of with this process is SCUBA diving. Staying on the surface of the water, there are waves, which can be big and unpredictable with bad weather. By submerging down into the ocean, the waves start to disappear and a whole new world comes into view. A whole new world to observe and discover. The deeper you go, the less the effects of the surface waves. 

We can stay on the surface of our reactions, or we can get curious and dive below the reaction into our inner world. The more you dive and deeper you go, the more mysteries are discovered and understood through exploration.

Namaste.