THE EIGHT POWERS
Eight powers are specifically mentioned as being developed through Raja Yoga. At first sight, you might just consider them to be eight qualities, but the word 'power' has been used especially. What is the difference between a quality and a power? A quality is something which others can sometimes see in us, but is sometimes hidden. It is something which others appreciate but do not necessarily feel that they can possess. Whereas a power is something that cannot remain hidden, it is a constant source of inspiration to others so that they too can change themselves and become powerful.
The eight powers are: TOLERANCE, COURAGE, CO-OPERATION, ACCOMODATION. DISCRIMINATION, JUDGEMENT, and the powers to WITHDRAW my thoughts and to PACK UP waste thoughts. It is important not just to know what these powers are, but even more important is to understand when and how to use them. For instance, if I am constantly tolerating someone's bad behaviour and the situation is getting steadily worse, then perhaps I should really be using the power to face, that is to have courage, and tell them in a peaceful but firm way that in the circumstances they should not continue to behave like that.
The eight powers are such that in any situation there will be at least one power that is appropriate for me to use, and the correct choice of that power will depend on me remaining calm and having a clear picture of the situation in question.
1) The power to tolerate difficulties involves the ability to go beyond the
influence of negative situations, to be able to not. react, even in thoughts.
If someone offers me insults, criticism or anger, or if there is physical
suffering, I can remain peaceful and happy with the power to tolerate. On
the basis of soul consciousness I will be able to give love, like the fruit
tree, which when pelted with sticks and stones gives its fruit in return.
2) The power to face obstacles in life (courage) is developed through
meditation by which we experience our original nature of peace and
become detached from the consciousness of the physical costume. We are
then able to observe and see beyond problems and difficulties, to see a
positive side to something which seems totally negative; this gives us the
strength to face.
3) The power to accomodate is the power to be above any clash of personality
or nature, to be able to mould and adjust myself as the situation requires.
I should not be one to create conflict in any situation. Just as an ocean
can accommodate all the rivers that flow into it, so I should not reject
anyone or anything, but should be able to change that relationship or
circumstance through the power of good wishes.
4) The power to co-operate with others requires the vision of soul
consciousness as then we can see all as our brothers and sisters. This
provides us with unity and strength within a group. The co-operation which
this brings us, will make any task seem easy.
The power of discrimination is the ability to give the correct values to the thoughts, words and actions of myself and others. Just as the jeweller can discriminate false from real diamonds, so I should be able to keep positive worthwhile thoughts and discard negative, harmful ones. It is the negative thoughts which often cloud true discrimination and through meditation I am eliminating these.
The power to judge allows us to take clear, quick, accurate and unbiased decisions. For this we need to be above the influence of situations and the emotions and opinions of others, I also need a clear understanding of what is wrong and right. Raja Yoga meditation provides this strength and clarity of the intellect through greater self-understanding and a detached perspective.
The power to pack up waste thoughts in soul consciousness means we can 'travel light', packing only that which is necessary. Not carrying around negative and wasteful thoughts keeps us free from both mental and physical tiredness. This economy brings us power and a completely positive outlook.
The power to withdraw my thoughts is possible even while I perform activity. Naturally my thoughts must also be involved, but during any task I can withdraw every so often and practise returning to my state of inner peace. In this way my thoughts do not continue to be involved when not absolutely necessary and I waste no unneccessary mental effort. This is true controlling power and brings us great strength.
Having faith in myself means having confidence in what I have experienced and having courage to explore what I know I am capable of experiencing. Faith should never be blind, if we place our trust in things that we don't understand then sooner or later that trust is going to be shattered. First there must be understanding and for this I need knowledge. In Raja Yoga very specific knowledge is given, first think over this knowledge, understand what is being said and have a clear picture in your mind. Think out the implications of what being a pure, peaceful soul means; what effect should it have on my practical life; how should it affect my relationships with others. How does the cycle of mind, intellect and sanskars work: Can I see that process happening in myself? Is karma an adequate explanation of my present position? If I do take total responsibility for myself, will that improve the situation? Do I realise that every action, every thought, every intention is subject to this law? If God exists should it be possible for me to have a relationship with Him? Is this an acceptable explanation of His form and attributes? Only if you think about the implications of the knowledge are you going to have some sort of measure against which to place your practical experience.
When you sit in yoga you can see if your experience matches up to the information you have been given. If you practise soul consciousness during the day you can see if it has the result that the knowledge predicts. Then there will be a basis for faith; it will rest on the firm foundation of your own experience, not only in meditation, but in practical life also. Faith needs an aim. To measure my progress I need to know where I have come from and where I want to go. Knowing where I have come from is not difficult, knowing where I want to go is more subtle. Knowledge tells me, T am a peaceful soul' or 'Om Shanti', but how do I translate this into experience? Deep inside I desire peace but it is like a half forgotten memory, hidden behind a veil. That desire is being prompted by a sanskar, a sanskar that tells me I must have experienced that deepest peace before. I am not aiming for something I have never known before. My aim is simply to rediscover that forgotten feeling of being so peaceful that I am ever content. When I experience peace in meditation it feels so natural and easy, it is an effortless thing and my aim is to be in that experience constantly. Whatever I am doing, whoever I am speaking to, whatever is happening around me, I remain 'Om Shanti', lost in the ocean of peace myself and spreading the vibrations of peace to others. Faith needs both understanding and experience to sustain it, so make sure that there is plenty of both.
Raja Yoga - Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
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