SAMAH: A theme of Teacher Education, 1st of the 4 qualities of an alert student

In the Tattwabodha, one of the most eminent sacred texts of Yogic India, one of the first foundations for the student is Sama: Mastery, Equanimity.

You may wish to dive into the immersion of yoga practices in order to change your habits, to put healthy routines back into your tumultuous or hectic or confined life? Deepen even without necessarily teaching? Deepening! And put back the Constancy. AhAh! Well here is

In the Sama Yoga and Vedanta Teacher Training, this is the subject we address from the very beginning: SAMAH, the first of the 4 qualities of an alert student:

Śamaḥ - The Mastery of the Mind

The word śama literally means śāntiḥ- peace, and also samatwaṁ- equanimity. 

So śamaḥ is peace of mind; balance of Mind; tranquility of the Mental tool. To use modern terminology, it means a mind free from stress and tension. Stress is a very big problem that everyone faces today. "Sama" means freedom from mental stress.

But why do we say that peace of mind is important?

When the Mind is stressed, strained or anxious, it becomes a (bhāraḥ) or a burden to us.

While it is such a wonderful, cutting-edge tool, for a person who does not have peace of mind, life itself can become a burden.

While, when the Mind enjoys peace and freedom from stress, the Mind is light.

In such a state of Shanti, the journey of life itself becomes enjoyable.

Only a light mind can be used as an instrument to reach our goal. If we study human life, the uniqueness of the human being lies in the fact that we have an extraordinary mind. The difference between other animals and a human being is that only we are endowed with a superior mind, which is a wonderful instrument to achieve any kind of goal, whether it is a material goal or a spiritual goal. 

Only a light spirit can be carried by us and only a light spirit can be used as an instrument by us.

This manaḥśānti is also necessary to maintain physical health.

A person who has constant stress for a long period of time is bound to have a variety of physical problems. Therefore, physical health also requires a stress-free mind.

So the first discipline is stress management. We should learn to have a balanced mind/mind. 

So how do you do that?

"Dive into Vedanta & if you want to come to Vēdāntā, it is because already you are accessing the balanced part of your mind". Swami Dayananda

To do this, meditate, practice Sama Yoga, the Yoga of Equanimity, engage in the essentials, make room to train, be immersed.

I spent almost two years of Ashram Life between my 22nd and 24th birthdays, then every year since, I have been immersed with my Revered teachers, Swami Vagishananda, Radhaji, as much as possible .... A little less convenient in physics right now, but in regular Zoom!!!

SAMA is the origin and also the name of the Yoga that we transmit with dedication and passion: Sama Yoga & Vedanta. I thank its fruits, tasted and magnified by the Yogis and Yoginis that I saw so much blooming during the training of Teachers, in each session.

Wonders. Hari Om tat Sat