Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Outside our Reality


In Vedantic Philosophy (which is the foundation of Yoga), Siddhis are spiritual, supernatural, or other magical powers that are the product of Sadhana (practice). In my understanding, this is mastery. Sadhana is Purposeful Practice. Siddhis seem magical because they are so far above what we believe is possible, yet someone is doing it. They are outside our understanding. Outside our Reality. Excellence and Mastery are very attractive. They are also dangerous. Even Swamis are still students of Yoga, and no one is further along the path than anyone else. It isn’t that type of path. Taken in the context of privilege and opportunity, no one is impressive. Yet application is still impressive. Merit, out of context, is the same. We see excellence, and that can make people think they are Gods of a sort. Touched. Chosen. Unique. Above. Arthur C. Clarke’s law “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” applies to mastery too. It isn’t the master that is impressive. It is the glimpse into what is truly possible, and how far that is from the constraints we put on ourselves. Behind most of what impresses us is a curtain someone isn’t keen for you to look through.



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