VASANAS - from birth to birth

17. Yoga, Science and Philosophy
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Hari Om

Hello Sadhu,
For those that are esoteric at heart, I thought to post this topic of Vasanas , or those impressions that are gained by the native life-to-life. These vasanas form the foundation of the individual, birth after birth. Some say they are the root cause for re-birth, as the impressions for unfulfilled desires are brought life-after-life to be fulfilled. Becoming enlightened stops this progression.
I bring this up because as we gain deeper silence in the discovery of SELF, these vasanas have smaller impressions on us as our consciousness becomes clearer and we lose the clutter.
Patanjali talks much of this in his yoga-sutras… you probably know vasana by another name, samskara, which is an approximation.
I was taught this analogy. In ignorance consciousness we receive impressions in chitta and its like a chisel making a line on a piece of granite. Its deep and it stays for a very long time. As one meditates and gets clearer, the impressions are more like a stick drawing a line in sand. Its there, you see it, yet the sand falls in on itself and the line is “captured” back into the sand. Then we meditate a bit more, consciousness expands, more purity and the impressions are like a line being drawn in water. Its there and then its not. More transcending , more purity (sattva infusion) and now the impressions are like drawing a line in the air! subtly there, but then gone. NO binding influence; No karmic baggage, no lasting impressions, no vasanas. Bingo! your done.
The only remnants is the thing called Lesha-avidya, or the remains ( left overs or coloration) of ignorance just due to acting in this world.
Now, you may want to note how you handle situations over time (this really has changed for me)… this gives you a glimpse of how impressions are made into your circuitry. Are they deep, shallow? are you craving for things or do objects and desires have less hold on you? A good gage to consider the vasana impressions.
As we progress, a few things arise:
Sattwapatti or purity of mind. All mental modifications are reduced to identification with the Self.
Asamsakti or detached state. Being unaffected by anything in the world, due to the knowledge of the Self.
Peace and abundance in your practices,
Frank In San Diego

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Hari Om

[quote=“Melissa”]
I am working through the Sutras myself now so this is right up my alley. Yes, I knew of samskara; vasana is a new term for me.
[/quote]Hello Mellissa,
thx for the note… yes, Patanjali’s sutras are most excellent. I have read his works many times from different folks and have a few favorites if you have interest.
I am now learning the correct pronunciation of each sutra. It then gets established in ones consciousness and according to the experts should give better results when the sanskrit form of the sutras are used.
re: Vasanas - you will see Patanjali-ji talk of vritti also, impressions on the mind - chitta. Vasanas fit right in.
To form another perspective of VASANA, consider an ice-cube, which is solid. Obviously we can touch it, inspect it. Now, what is subtler then ice? Water. Water, as a fluid assumes the shape of its container. A more flexible substance. What’s subtler then water? Steam.
We can’t hold steam in our hands, but we can see it, feel it. Steam is visible, then becomes invisible.
What’s subtler then steam? Humidity. Its in the air but we cannot see it.
The vasanas are like the humidity in the air, subtlest of all. The vasanas undergo transformation at the level of the intellect into thoughts. The thoughts in turn undergo transformation at the level of the mind into desires; and the desires undergo transformation at the level of the physical body into actions. Like that - vasanas are so subtle yet are at the core of what we do and our actions…they are carried from birth to birth, so say the wise.
This water-ice-humidity idea is from http://www.hinduism.co.za/ if you care to look around. A very good source of info.
Peace,
Frank In San Diego

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Dear Frank We can add to the analogy in our modern world we can equate vasanas with the writing of software on the hardware of the mind.
mystiq