You are hardly yourSELF

How Alice in Wonderlands can teach us about the Yoga Sutras

After a long conversation with my beloved brother in Chile who loves watching movies, I noticed some inspiring connections between The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the movie Alice in Wonderland.

In the teachings of yoga, there's a popular aphorism that says YOGAS CHITTA VRITTI NIRODAHA which roughly translates as: "yoga is the restraint of the mind's fluctuations" or "Yoga is mastering the mind’s habit to roam”or the meaning stated by T.K.V Desikachar who says that "yoga is to focus all the activities of the mind on a chosen constructive direction".

• 

• 

What follows in yoga sutra 1.3 says that when these fluctuations cease, the seer/Self rests in its own true nature. 1.4 Otherwise, we identify with our thoughts and lose touch with who we really are.

Have you watched Alice in Wonderland? At the start, she's believed to be the one destines to save Underland and slay The Jabberwocky but she insists she's not the one. Some characters ask a caterpillar if she's the right Alice. Absolem, the caterpillar replies " not hardly." After Alice's many experiences and changes; shrinking, growing, meeting the mad hatter, and facing trials that help her remember her past and build courage. The caterpillar tells her " You are much more her now. In fact, you're almost Alice."

Yoga tells that beyond our thoughts, stories, beliefs, and even physical form, we still are. When thoughts dissolve (even if momentarily), we can rest in our true nature. In this rich space of emptiness, it's not that we are "less" ourselves, but more ourSelves than ever.

Yet, just like Alice, we can often cling to a small but known version of who (we think) we are shaped by old stories or fears instead of our full radiant nature. In the same way that Alice was believed to be the one by many but herself, we might doubt our restful true nature and hold on to a limited view of ourselves because anything else is too unfamiliar to us.

"You're not hardly Alice" captures the idea of not yet being ready or fully yourself. Do you ever feel "ready" or fully yourself?

Do you believe that there's more to who you are? or are you certain that this is as much as there is to who you are? The longer we've been on Earth, the more we might attach to the views of who we are since we've known it for so long!

I've noticed that the more tightly we cling to a belief, the more the world seems to confirm it. Beliefs are almost like magnets pulling in experiences that prove them right. Like Alice, I've been remembering how I was as a child, so full of love, of optimism, of playfulness and excitement for life. Trusting in the good of all, living with complete curiosity and with a courage that I learnt to fear to avoid troubles. I have been holding onto beliefs I didn't choose but acquired. Our beliefs truly hold us more than we hold them.

Taking into consideration the translations of yoga sutra 1.2 we know we want to move towards greater focus, and also usher the mind in a constructive direction, but like Alice, we all have our share of doubts and lack of faith at times. It's not that there's a right or a wrong version of us, neither an inferior nor superior one, but as long as "mind" is running the show, there's no constructive direction and when we lose touch with our deepest self, we suffer. The sutras tell us there's a place all of us have that is beyond all sorrow, conditioning and experience.

We need both attention and intention so that when fluctuations happen, we can spot them, identify them and meet them with curiosity rather than complete belief. We can observe the "I can't do this, I am not (fill in the blank) enough, etc." Alice had to face the Jabberwocky. Most of us, have to face ourselves; including our our own harmful thoughts. And some times, even meet these kind of thoughts with a "What if I'm wrong?

We become more fully who we are through experiences; all the life experiences you've had including the ones you didn't chose or plan but eventually had to surrender to. When Alice was told she's not yet herself, it meant that she is not yet the complete version of Alice that the world needs. She still had growing and remembering to do.

Similarly, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are there to help you re-member: beyond the constant changes of your mind's contents, you are free, and in that freedom lies a restful nature. You don't need to try to construct it, do your work and realise what obstructs it.

We become the right one for our own lives, just like Alice did. She didn't become the "right"one by a miracle. She faced her fears, trusted her path and stepped into her power. Our life/practice is a reminder to do the same. One of the kindest things you can do for yourself and the world is to observe your thoughts, be familiar with your own "chitta vrittis" mind's fluctuations and the space beneath them. Until then, you'll be hardly yourself but your Self will be patiently resting there to meet you

May you rest more fully in your true nature

With an earnest desire to see you shine,

Amor