When the mind is haughty, sarcastic, full of conceit and arrogance, ridiculing, evasive and deceitful, when it is inclined to boast, or when it is contemptuous of others, abusive and irritable, then remain still like a piece of wood.
- Shantideva
Comment:
Clearly, this quote is about seeking and then waiting to find calm from the chaos of egotistical thinking through the act of standing still. Fortunately for us, as yogis we have already developed the ability to find this stillness from standing in Tadasana, which is a pose that allows the mind to clear and strengthen its defences against delusional thinking, as well as balancing the hot (right side) and cool (left side) energies. Standing still helps the mind find a route back to the heart space and we would all benefit from Shantideva's advice when we notice an over-inflated ego creeping into our thinking. The real challenge is noticing when this is happening and 'standing still like a piece of wood' as quickly as possible to mitigate the formation of mental scar tissue.
* Photo by Lee Scott on Unsplash