My Daily Thread

sati mūle tadvipāko jātyāyur-bhogāḥ "As long as the root (kleshas) exists, its ripening will manifest as birth, lifespan, and material enjoyment." Yoga Sutra 2:13 establishes that as long as kleshas (kleśāḥ) —the deep-rooted mental afflictions of avidyā (ignorance), asmitā (ego), rāga (attachment), dveṣa (aversion), and abhiniveśa (fear of death) —exist, they continue to produce karma , which ripe...

Ripping through the Sādhana Pāda, we continue our journey through the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. This is the chapter on spiritual practice, but it can relate perfectly to practice in general, whether it's yoga, meditation, or even disciplines like music, sports, or writing. The emphasis on practice is universal. We are now on Yoga Sūtra 2.12: kleśa-mūlaḥ karmaśayo dṛṣṭādṛṣṭā-janma-vedanīyaḥ "The re...

We continue our journey through the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali , diving deeper into the kleśas , the mental afflictions that cloud our perception and keep us trapped in cycles of suffering. We've been working through these for the past couple of weeks, and today, we focus on Sūtra 2.10 , which tells us that the kleśas must be dissolved at their root to be eliminated . Yoga Sūtra 2.10 states: "te pra...

Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sūtras, the Sādhana Pāda , is our focus. This chapter is all about spiritual practice ( sādhana ), but don't let the word "spiritual" throw you off. The principles here apply broadly—whether it's running, writing, music, or even magic , the discipline of practice is essential in all areas of life. Practice is never overrated. It must be cultivated ( bhāvitaḥ ), and more impor...

Last week, we explored Sūtra 2.10 , which delves into the nature of the kleśas ( afflictions ) in their subtle form. This sutra is deeply philosophical, emphasizing that our mental afflictions do not merely exist on the surface; they are embedded in the very structure of how we perceive reality. Jeff laughs about consulting ChatGPT while preparing for this discussion, appreciating how it helped in...

The wisdom of Patañjali , the sage from around 200 CE , continues to guide us as we explore the Yoga Sūtras . His insights offer a timeless roadmap for understanding the nature of the mind and overcoming suffering. The ultimate goal of yoga is to still the fluctuations of the citta , the "mind-stuff," allowing us to experience our true nature beyond conditioned thought patterns. Today, we turn to...

We continue our journey through the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali , seeking small but powerful insights to carry into our daily lives. In our last discussion, we explored Sūtra 2.9 , which introduced the concept of abhiniveśa (अभिनिवेशः) —the deeply ingrained fear of death. Unlike rāga (रागः) and dveśa (द्वेषः) , which arise from our personal experiences and memories of pleasure and pain, abhiniveśa as...

We are back, continuing our exploration of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras , now focusing on Sūtra 2.9 , which introduces the concept of abhiniveśa (अभिनिवेशः) . This term is often translated as "clinging to life" or "fear of death." The sūtra states: स्वरसवाही विदुषोऽपि तथारूढोऽभिनिवेशः ॥९॥ svarasavāhī viduṣo'pi tathārūḍho'bhiniveśaḥ "The fear of death is inherent in all beings, even in the wise." Unlike...

The search for small but powerful wisdom continues here at My Daily Thread Podcast , where we take the ancient teachings of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali and weave them into our modern lives. Our current focus remains on the kleśas (क्लेशाः) —the mental afflictions that obscure our clarity and peace. While we are meant to move forward in the sutras, there is still more to say about rāga (राग, attac...

Continuing with the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali , we seek out a small but profound piece of wisdom—a thread to carry into our day. This is the essence of My Daily Thread Podcast : distilling ancient teachings into something we can live by, something we can work with. Right now, our focus remains on the kleśas (क्लेशाः) —the mental afflictions that cloud our perception and drive our suffering. The kle...

As we continue our journey through the Sādhana Pāda , we search for that daily insight—that snippet of wisdom. Yesterday, we explored Yoga Sūtra 2:7 , where we examined rāga (राग) —attachment to pleasure. Today, we move forward, but before diving into our next sutra, let's take a step back and revisit the foundation of all kleśas: avidyā (अविद्या). Avidyā is often translated as "ignorance" or "mis...

As we continue our journey through Chapter 2 of the Yoga Sūtras, we remain within the framework of the kleśas, the mental afflictions that cloud our perception and keep us bound in patterns of suffering. The two we have explored in depth so far are avidyā and asmitā. Avidyā (अविद्या) is misperception or ignorance—it is the fundamental misunderstanding of reality. It causes us to mistake the imperm...

Finding our way through the Sādhana Pāda, we continue our exploration of the kleśas, the deep-seated afflictions that shape our perception and keep us caught in cycles of suffering. As we move through Yoga Sūtra 2:3 and beyond, we see that avidyā—ignorance or misperception—is not just another affliction but the very root from which all the others arise. Avidyā is described as the "field" in which...

Welcome back to the show! Yesterday, we explored Yoga Sūtra 2:5, where Patañjali defines avidyā— the fundamental misunderstanding that gives rise to suffering. Avidyā manifests through four key misperceptions that distort our view of reality: We mistake the impermanent (anitya) for the permanent (nitya). We cling to things—relationships, status, even our physical bodies—as if they will last foreve...

The "Snip the Snippet" Challenge is still on! If you have a better word for our daily drop of wisdom , send it in—our community will choose the best one, and the winner will get some My Daily Thread swag. Let's find a word that truly reflects what we seek in these discussions. Jeff recalls a moment with his chanting teacher , a scene filled with momentum and enthusiasm . The group, caught up in th...

We've just wrapped up Sūtra 2:4 , focusing on avidyā (अविद्या) —the fundamental misunderstanding that serves as the root of all kleśas (क्लेशाः) , or mental afflictions. Patañjali tells us that avidyā is the kṣetram (क्षेत्रम्), the "field" in which all other kleśas take root and grow. It is the misperception that leads us to see the impermanent as permanent, the impure as pure, the painful as ple...

Don't forget—the Snippet Challenge is still on! If you've got a better word for the kind of wisdom we're chasing here, send it my way, and you might just win some My Daily Thread swag. We're still deep in the Sādhana Pāda (साधनपाद) , exploring the path of practice that Patañjali lays out in the Yoga Sūtras . We've reviewed Kriyā Yoga (क्रिया योग) —the yoga of action, and the concept of bhāvanā (भा...

Don't forget—the Snip the Snippet Challenge is still on! If you send me a better word than "snippet," you could win some My Daily Thread swag. It's a fun way to play with language and refine our expression. Today, we return to Yoga Sūtra 2:2 : "Samādhi-bhāvanārthaḥ kleśa-tanūkaraṇārthaś ca" ( The purpose of practice is to cultivate samādhi and weaken the kleśas. ) We've already explored bhāvanā (भ...

Some days, the nuggets of wisdom don't come easily. It's like trying to grab onto smoke—just when you think you have something profound, it slips through your fingers. So today, let's start the "Snip the Snippet Challenge." If you can suggest a better word than "snippet," I'll send you some My Daily Thread swag. After all, language shapes our experience, and finding the right words can be its own...

Happy to have you joining me as we continue working through the Sādhana Pāda , the second chapter of the Yoga Sūtras , authored by Patañjali around 200 CE. His wisdom is what we are searching for—not just as an intellectual pursuit, but as a practical guide for living with greater awareness, clarity, and ease. Today, we turn to Yoga Sūtra 2:2 , which reminds us of the deeper purpose of yoga. As Da...

Sometimes, wisdom doesn't just arrive effortlessly—we have to panhandle for it , searching for insights in ancient texts, personal experiences, and even unexpected places. Yoga Sūtra 2:1 reminds us that Kriyā Yoga , the yoga of action, offers a structured way to cultivate wisdom through tapas (discipline), svādhyāya (self-study), and Īśvara praṇidhāna (surrender). Swami Satchidānanda's commentary...

I know we said we would move on, but as I was reading Swami Satchidānanda's commentary on the Yoga Sūtras , I was reminded of something Krishna said to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gītā . Krishna breaks tapas into three categories—physical, verbal, and mental. Today, let's take a deeper look at physical tapas . In the Gītā , Krishna describes worship as a form of physical tapas . This may not align with...

Yoga Sūtra 2:1, Kriyā Yoga , the yoga of action—a practice that moves beyond theory into direct experience. We've explored tapas (self-discipline) and svādhyāya (self-study), and now we turn to the final principle: Īśvara Praṇidhāna , often translated as "surrender to a higher power." Patañjali emphasizes this concept repeatedly throughout the Sūtras , signaling its profound importance. However, t...

Welcome back to My Daily Thread podcast. Jeff is still glowing from two incredible weeks in San Pancho, where he co-hosted a Yoga & Sunsets retreat with the amazing Andrea Ziegler. If you've been listening, you might remember when we introduced "Ziggy" to the show a couple of weeks back. Now, as we settle back in, we return to Yoga Sūtra 2:1 and the exploration of Kriyā Yoga . Today, we focus on s...

My Daily Thread draws inspiration from Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras , using them as a foundation for deeper exploration. While rooted in these ancient teachings, we also find parallels in modern thought. Yesterday, we referred to James Clear's insights from Atomic Habits and Dr. Rangan Chatterjee's approach in Make Change That Lasts . Their ideas on behaviour change and habit formation align closely wi...