Confessions of a Yogi

Today’s lecture focused on the 5 methods recommended to neutralise the impressions of wrong-doings in our system.

Impressions of wrong-doings are the roots of further misery and suffering; accordingly it is strongly recommended to make sincere efforts to counter or neutralize these impressions as soon as possible. Obviously, we all listened attentively to these practical steps! Any guesses as to the first method?

Just teasing – it does not involve cow products!

Method 1: Frankly announce your wrong-doing to a noble, knowledgeable and merciful person or even preferably a group of them! I understand this is a self-inflicted “name and shame” process. Just imagine scheduling a meeting with a person, or group of people such as Ācārya and sharing the very worst of your behavior! Whether simulating this for small or big wrongdoings, I cannot avoid the feeling that the shame and disgrace associated with it would be hard to bear, and that, for me is exactly the point. This process exacts an emotionally high price, which should serve as a strong deterrent against repeating that wrongdoing. By announcing one’s behaviour in this way, we are owning and objectifying the situation, no more escaping the truth of it or hiding from it; it is now out in the open to be dealt with, which I can imagine would be, on many levels, a relief. Ācārya’s emphasis on the type of person/s to whom the announcement should be made resonated. Those people Ācārya explained should not take advantage of such a situation, (and in my understanding) they would not be judgmental, understanding well the theory of karma. They would undoubtedly guide the person on how best to proceed with the next 4 steps – sorry, no more spoilers for this lecture!

Further reflections on the lecture from a Judeo-Christian perspective – the subject matter today was about “sin” and “punishment”. “Sin” is simply a wrongdoing (Ācārya classified it into wrongdoings to oneself or others) whereas the impression that a wrongdoing leaves in our system is the root for the correctional measure (experienced as misery or suffering) to take effect – “the punishment”. It immediately struck me how the Catholic system has enshrined this principle of announcement in the process of “confession” and irrespective of how it functions today, it seems to me that it was originally set up with a similar understanding and intention about how announcing one’s wrongdoing is an important first-step to dealing with it.