As we become more advanced practitioners of yoga and meditation we find that we evolve as people as well. We learn patience, compassion and the art of letting go; we have better control over our emotions and actions as well. Among the many concepts that yoga encapsulates – such as ahimsa, the value of a firm resolve or the ultimate aim of surrender to the almighty – is the concept of Pratipaksha Bhavana.
What is Pratipaksha Bhavana? Why is this important to inculcate?
There are certain feelings and emotions that are desirable to inculcate according to the Yogasutra of Patanjali and other ancient texts that speak about yoga, ayurveda and so on. For instance Anitya Bhavna helps us recognize the ephemeral and impermanent nature of this world. The concept of Pratipaksha Bhavna is about expunging the negative from our lives and about replacing it with the positive. The fact is that terrible things can and do happen. Some of our problems are self inflicted (resulting from our own poor choices or lack of self control) and others are the unavoidable consequence of living life itself.
The understanding that holding on to pain and negativity has harmful consequences for us and that we need to remove that negativity from our lives is a relatively new concept in psychiatry. However, this is basically what the ancient concept of Pratipaksha Bhavana teaches us to do. Pratipaksha means opposite; so here the aim is to replace with positivity and joy, all that is painful and harmful for us. So it is desirable to replace anger with calm, agitation with contentment and so on. This is about navigating the emotional turbulence within to arrive at the shores of self healing.
How to practice Pratipaksha Bhavana
It is all very well to say that we should replace the negative with the positive, but it isn’t easy. It takes effort, will power and practice. It helps if you do this gradually; step by step. When you start to feel a negative emotion – anger, jealousy, stress, hate, desire for the unattainable or even greed for unhealthy food – try not to let the feeling take root in the mind. In short don’t let the negativity fester and grow bigger within your mind-space.
The human mind is difficult to control, thoughts will go even where you don’t want them to, so you can go on to the next step now, which is substitution – Divert your mind with physical activity, constructive/ productive work; perhaps a healthy snack. Try to substitute the negative with its Pratipaksh, or its opposite. By supplanting the negative and self destructive with the positive and constructive, the negative emotions assume less importance. You are able to place those emotions at a distance and gain some valuable perspective. You will then find that those negative emotions do not have as much power over you.
Soon you will be able to make a habit out of this – so the third step will be the regular employment of Pratipaksha Bhavana. It becomes second nature not to let corrosive and destructive emotions take root within you. You develop the ability to substitute any negative feelings with their opposite emotions; you develop Pratipaksh Bhavna.
There are other things to keep in mind so that you are able to effectively perform this substitution: live in the movement and be mindful of all that you do; appreciate what you have rather than long for what you don’t have. When you commit fully to the here and now, you’re wasting less emotional energy on what-if and if-only types of thoughts. Also thinking about the less fortunate and developing compassion are important tools that help to remove the negativity from your mind and your life.
And so dear readers, this is the last post for 2016. Here’s wishing everyone a new year filled with happiness and good health.
And don’t forget – call Sashi at 99675 31905 to come for a free trial class. Make a healthy start to the new year. See you all on the other side!