Classwork Book 1 - Organ of Conscience in Asana

 

In Prashant Iyengar’s book, Classwork Book 1, he writes in class 23 about Organ of Conscience in Asana.

Below is his notes on this class.

Just as we have organs of body, we have organs of “mind” as well.  The “mind” here should be looked upon as a consciousness substance.  This substance in different containers takes different forms corresponding to the forms of the container.  

Just as water or any liquid, takes the form of and is well-settled in different containers of different shapes, so is the case with this conscious substance or “mind” substance.  This mind, as a substance, does not essentially change.  In one organ, it works as a thought organ (in the brain). In another container, in the heart, it becomes emotions and sentiments.  Similarly, it becomes intelligence, ego , identity, etc.  Thus, we can surmise that we have,

            * a sensitivity organ

            * a mental organ

            * a thought organ

            * an intelligence organ

            * an ego organ

            * an identity organ 

            * an motional organ

            * a sentimental organ

            * a memory organ

            * an imagination organ

            * a creativity organ

            * an analytical organ

            * a synthesis organ

            * a conscience organ, etc.

    

  Anatomy has not identified, and has even failed to identify, the emotional organ in the heart, which is otherwise extremely apparent and obvious.  Yog identifies these in a very systematic manner.  Strangely, this unification process begins with conspicuously-analysed demarcations.  Yogic processes work on evolving each of those organs of the mind and consciousness, to evolve the intuitive mystic organ that is extremely vital for essential  Yog.

Essential Yog needs Dharmendriya i.e. an organ of virtue and merit, because to be right and righteous is vitally important in core Yog.  The organ of conscience that identifies right as against wrong from the perspective of Dharma.  The empirical mind distinguishes between sensory good and bad through sensation. The intellect rationally divulges right and wrong in practical aspects of life.  The organ of conscience divulges what is essentially right and wrong.  

Our sense of right and wrong is conditioned by delimitations of the subjective entity “I”, such as

         - class

        - caste

        - creed

        -  race

        - ethnicity

        - faith, religion

        - disposition

        - trait

        - brainwash

        - gender

        - age

        - condition

        - nationality

        - ancestry

        - genetic background

        - DNA

        - genealogical background

        - life-condition

        - life-relations    

    And such countless delimitations which exercise gravities, pulls and pushes, and so we are                       disqualified from having the essential right identified.

In Yog, such delimitations are greatly relaxed and kept at bay. Hence the claim that Yog surfaces and constitutes a conscience organ.

__________________________________________________________________________

As you contemplate this class, what are your thoughts.  Can you look at things from the perspective of different organs.  Please share your thoughts.

Yours in yoga,

Pam