Samskaras

I hope you all are continuing to enjoy your summer. This last couple of months have been a whirlwind of travel and breaks from my routine. As a result I subbed out many classes, missed regular monthly commitments, skipped writing my newsletter for two consecutive weeks (which I have never done since the inception of this newsletter) and even fell out of my meditation practice. These are all regular actions that keep me grounded and steady. These actions, in Sanskrit are called Samskaras. 

The word Samskara is often defined as a habit, however it is more than that. If we look at the literal meaning of the word, the prefix sam means “well planned, well thought out”, and kara means “the action under-taken.”  These actions are a unique type of habit. They are mindful decisions that we choose to repeat in order to create an impression (or groove) in the mind. Unconscious actions can also create grooves (either positive or negative) and the hope is, with practice, that we can identify the unconscious habits and begin to convert them to mindful Samskaras. This allows us to evaluate the quality of the habit and re-pattern our grooves. 

We often have to keep reminding ourselves of the power of our thoughts and actions and last  week I found myself equal parts exasperated at the powerful effect of not performing these seemingly small Samskaras, and enthralled at the positive results when refocusing on them.  This was my message for students both on and off the mat. Showing up consistently for a physical practice is a Samskara. It helps build an understanding of the impermanence of the body and an acceptance of what is available that day. It offers a space to be mindful and compassionate and to notice the patterns of thought that may have deep groves in the mind. 

 While I let go of many of my Samskaras over these last couple of months I did hold onto my physical practice, even while being on the other side of the world. (The picture above is from the Australian Outback). That is the start of all of this for me. It is how I discovered mindfulness 25 years ago. It is a deep groove that has led me along this path. It continues to teach me and bring me back to the power of my mindful thoughts and actions and the intention to cultivate my positive Samskaras. I find myself equal parts humbled and awed at the power of these seemingly small grooves and with the reminder that with practice it becomes up to us what Samskaras we build and come back to. Happy Practicing!!