Indifference Towards the wicked
I receive many comments and questions each week from readers of my newsletters.
I enjoy reading all the comments and feedback. It inspires me to keep writing and shows me that my weekly letters can be helpful to people.
I thought I would share a question from last week's letter from a dear reader, whom I will name "Dear P."
"I have a question about the quote from Patanjali… “indifference towards the wicked”??? Not sure how to cultivate this. Any insight will be appreciated..."
The Sutra referenced is 1.33 in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. I had quoted it in last week's newsletter as follows:
“Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.”~Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras, 1:33
There are many, many translations and differing interpretations of that line.
TKV Desikachar translates it as "Undisturbed by the error of others," which is gentler. Albert Villoldo says: "Turn your thoughts away from those who dwell in darkness."
The primary teaching of the Yoga Sutra, and many other Yogic texts, is that the feelings and thoughts we have about anything, people, events, etc... no matter how right they seem, are all tied to the ego aspect of the self. They are all impermanent and fleeting. We will never find peace of mind by focusing our attention on the external dramas of the world.
Because the external world is constantly shifting, always changing, never still.
So, while we may acknowledge and see the deeds of others as "evil," "dark," or in "error," the only real way to find our true peace is to see them as fleeting and have an element of disregard towards them.
Now, this doesn't mean we don't act in some way. This sutra does not ask us to turn our backs on harmful behavior and say, "Oh well, it won't bring me peace, so I'll just ignore it."
This isn't about ignoring the harmful and hateful actions of others. It's about keeping our reactive aspect of the ego-self in check. We need to keep a certain level-headed mind about our reactions.
Cultivating indifference does not mean that we’re indifferent to hate. Many spiritual teachings DO tell us to act and engage in the face of hate and injustice. If we see someone harming another, we must speak up; in fact, many teachings will tell us that we have a duty, our Dharma, to act, fight, defend, and act with fairness and kindness towards all sentient creatures.
However, we must also remain detached from the outcome of our actions, and that is very, very tough indeed.
How can we remain equanimous toward those whose actions oppose our values and notice our own tendencies to judge and label others as "less than"?
Ah, this is the real inner work, and I will confess, my dear friends, I struggle with this daily.
Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, has this to say about it:
"We human beings are in the habit of spending more time and energy in condemning (others) than in creating an atmosphere that diminishes our attraction to non-virtuous acts. According to Patanjali, if you cannot practice friendliness, compassion, and cheerfulness toward people you consider to be non-virtuous, then, for the sake of your own mind, at least look at such people without judging them."
Back to the original question: How do I cultivate "indifference towards the wicked?"
Let's take baby steps, such as noticing our tendencies to judge others and how our ruminating thoughts cause us even more harm. The Stoic sage Marcus Aurelius said, “The mind that is free from passion is a citadel.” Marcus thought it was a sign of weakness to be overcome by any intense emotion: anger, hatred, and yes, even love, no matter how justified. A “stoic” mind is one that is not overtaken by any emotion.
My dear friend Dorothy, the editor of this newsletter, mentioned her practice of visualizing someone in white light. If you feel comfortable visualizing them, you don't have to wish them anything or have any other expectations other than seeing them surrounded by white light. Thanks, Dorothy! ♥️
Equanimity Meditation.
Maybe we can work with a daily meditation such as: “I am responsible for my own actions.” “I am responsible for the energy and attention I give my thoughts, feelings, and experiences.” “May I find a true source of happiness.” “May I find peace exactly where I am.”
Repetition of mantras strengthens the heart's ability to respond to stressful situations with wisdom rather than habitual reactivity, which adds to the world's suffering. This is not about achieving some external result; rather, by cultivating an open and caring heart, we are better able to respond appropriately to whatever arises in our lives.
And keep in mind while working on this it's a practice, not a perfect.
Stoic Quotes by Marcus Aurelius
“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be One.”~Marcus Aurelius
“It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people but care more about their opinion than our own.” ~Marcus Aurelius
“External things are not the problem. It’s your assessment of them. Which you can erase right now.”~Marcus Aurelius
“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.” ~Marcus Aurelius
