Samskara: there is always other side

This wisdom from yoga/ Buddhism philosophy can be translated as mental impression and preconception.

As I share my yoga experience and knowledge with whom have grown in a different culture and speaking different language, samskara is the one which stand tall in front of me all time. Even though I have lived in this country for almost 30 years, my dominant language is still my native tongue especially when I find myself in deep thoughts. Incidentally, thought is a privilege granted to human beings, and it is deeply intertwined with language-specifically, the language present in the environment during the development and formation of our brains.

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

The difference in interpretation of this proverb between Japan and the United States is a good example of how samskara arise. In Japan's ancient capitals, there are "moss temples"- Japanese gardens where moss has taken decades to completely cover the ground which attract many tourists. For Japanese, it is considered a virtue to engage deeply with a single thing and allow it to grow over time. In the United States, on the other hand, I get the sense that allowing moss to grow evokes feeling of boredom or stagnation, and that constantly keeping things in motion- so that moss doesn't take root-is considered a virtue. At least, that's how my English teacher explained it to me back in the '90s.

Going back to the roots of yoga, the word "yoga" literally means "union." As time has passed and civilization has evolved, yoga has traveled east and west from its birthplace in northern India, taking on various forms wherever it has settled-which is where we stand today. This has, at the same time, led to various misunderstandings and chaos, which in turn give rise to new problems. Ironically, this is producing something that is the exact opposite of "union."

From my current perspective, I would like to conclude by saying that samskara is the practice of recognizing that there is always conflicting thought within the thoughts that arise within ourselves, and of viewing both thoughts objectively with a pure eye. When we are able to make a union between the opposed thoughts, peace will rise in ourselves.

OM, Shnati, shanti, shanti.

Sat Nam