Day 10:
The philosophy of yoga encourages an awareness of the fact that the physical body is not what we are in reality. It fortifies that the physical body is just a mere instrument to carry the essence of the higher self. Emotions, intellect, movement, and feelings in the mind are like the storefront of a huge criminal organization; just a mask that veils the expression of the higher self.
Jnana Yoga is a form of yoga that contemplates an intellectual process of the question “what is my true self?”. In class, Shakti asked us to show her the teapot as she placed it on the table in front of her. We all looked around at each other, curiously exchanging glances; “The teapot is right in front of you”.
“What is this?” She said as she pointed to the pot.
“That’s the spout of the teapot” We replied.
“Ah, so it’s not THE teapot, it’s the spout OF the teapot. It’s something complete on its on then? What about this?
Again, we replied, “That’s the handle of the teapot.”
“So this isn’t THE teapot, it’s the handle OF the teapot. Where is the teapot?” She asked, “What is this?”
“That’s the belly of the teapot which holds the tea!” We wanted to sound smart so we added its usage.
“Where is the teapot though? I want to know what a teapot is!” Shakti was started to sound exasperated.
A chorus arose, “It’s right there! That whole thing; all of those parts make up one teapot.”
Shakti questioned us, “Well, what if I took away the lid? Or the handle? Then what would it be?”
“Well if it held tea, it would still be considered a teapot. Even if it was a bucket that held tea, we would still refer to it a a teapot."
"Which one of you will stand up and say there is no teapot!?” Shakti rose her voice as her eyebrows ascended on her forehead, “Where is the teapot!!??”
Being myself and wanting challenge every authoritative figure in my life, I stood up and shouted, “THERE IS NO TEAPOT! It is just a collection of ideas. The name means nothing!”
What we know of the teapot can only be related to our experiences with such teapots. If we were from some third world country and have never seen a teapot, we might think it could be some ceremonial pooping bowl! Hows that for a morning wake-up?
Shakti smiled, “There is no teapot, there is no Jane, no Patti, no Shakti; just our experiences which are related to those objects. Everything we know is not absolute and everything we know lies in our own perceptions.
So here I am perceiving my computer, my words, my thoughts. The cool draft, cool air of the draft/draft of the air, coming through the glass of the window/crack of the window/hardware of the window, that settles chillingly on my toes/the toes of my body/the toes of my foot/the fingernails of my toes/the skin of my feet. What is this computer? I call it a computer in itself, but really it is made of thousands of little pieces that aren’t computers in themselves. As a whole, its called a computer. As a whole, I am called a woman; as a whole I call myself, me; but who am I when I take away all my perceptions? Who am I when I can’t identify myself with my experiences? What happens when I realize that everything I experience is built by my own conceptions, expectations, desires, and, as the dictionary says, practical contacts with and observations of ‘facts’ and ‘events’? I am a body, am I a body? Or is the body of me? Or am I of this body? What is ‘I’?
WHO AM I? WHAT AM I? WHERE AM I?
Are those questions even relevant when they are all construed from my past and present experiences?
I feel like I am asking all the wrong questions..
How will I know since everything I know is perceived?
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