Tambura Lullaby

Teresa Caetano, Sintra Portugal

When preparing for the Jivana retreat, I took to listening to the Yoga Sutra chanting in the car on my daily 30 min. drive between home and office.

When I started doing this, I was not able to tell one sutra from the next. Now, (I think) I can, but still lose place after the first few sutras of each pādaḥ.

This is just as well because instead of desperately trying to figure out which sutra I am listening to, I just relax and listen for the words and strings of words I know are there. I have learned to let it be – ‘sukham’. No challenging myself, no trying to learn it by heart, no effort.

Just listening – maybe I should say surrendering.

I do have my stepping-stones. A few words I know the meaning of, others I recognize perfectly well without recalling their exact meaning.

There are the sutras with lists, there are the ones with opposites, there are those with the words that always go together, there’s the repetitions …

…. jñanam, …jñanam, …jnãnam… There is the Atha, and the Iti.

The radio was my companion while driving, but now the frantic succession of news, traffic updates, political opinions and mood booster commentary has become too much. Even when I do not feel like listening to the chanting, I prefer to drive quietly, using that half hour to allow my mind a break from constantly being requested by this and that.

My need for calm and quiet is growing through this.

Heartfelt gratitude to whoever supported my being able to have the wonderful chanting of Ganapati Arya wherever I take my tablet.