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                                                     THE FIFTH APHORISM OF PATANJALI

                                When a person is steadfast in his abstention from harming others,

                                 then all living creatures will cease to feel enmity in his presence.

Patanjali's statement, "abstention from harming others," includes not only actual acts of harm but also thoughts of jealousy, judgment, and injury in any fashion. Steadfastly renouncing violence in thoughts and in all dealings with others creates an atmosphere wherein all violence and enmity ceases to exist because it is not reciprocated.

This a powerful awareness that you can begin to incorporate into your life immediately. Any situation where you experience anger or even mild discomfort involves thoughts of enmity toward the other person or people. Patanjali explains that other people will not feel enmity or anguish if you steadfastly abstain from having harmful thoughts toward them in the first place. Amazing ! By you working at not having any judgments or harmful thoughts, those around you will be free of anguish also.

Coming to this awareness of being steadfast in abstaining from harmful thoughts is a potent tool for accessing a spiritual solution to problems involving relationships. When a person is talking to you and you are slipping into the mode of feeling angry about how you are being talked to, you can remind yourself in that instant to abstain from thinking harmful or angry thoughts. I find it is quite effective to use the following words, first internally, and then I say them out loud. They are, "You're right about that!" Not sarcastically. Without rancor, I simply allow the other person to be right, which is all their ego really wants.

This tool does not make the other person right, it merely allows someone to believe that they are, and it allows you to be steadfast in your abstention from harmful thoughts. As you practice allowing others to be right, you are beginning to live from your higher-self rather than your ego. Eventually it will be your authentic way of reacting to others, even when they are being insulting.

There is a story concerning the Buddha, who is in the company of a fellow traveler who tests this great teacher with derogatory, insulting, disparaging, and bitter responses to anything the Buddha says. Every day, for three days when the Buddha spoke, the traveler responded by calling him a fool, and ridiculing the Buddha in some arrogant fashion. Finally, at the end of the third day, the traveler could stand it no more. He asked, "How is it that you are able to be so loving and kind when all I've done for the past three days is dishonor and offend you? Each time I am disobliging to you, you respond in a loving manner. How is this possible?"

The Buddha responded with a question of his own for the traveler. "If someone offers you a gift, and you do not accept that gift, to whom does the gift belong?" His question provided the traveler with a new insight. When someone offers you a gift of their insults, and you refuse to accept them, they obviously still belong to the original giver. And why would you ever choose to be upset or angry over something that belonged to someone else?

In this aphorism, Patanjali states, " all living creatures will cease to feel enmity" in the presence of one who does not think or act in a violent manner. This suggests we can affect the animal kingdom when we are steadfast in this attribute. You've heard the stories of how Saint Francis of Assisi would tame wild wolves who were decimating the livestock, merely by being in their presence. Moreover, doves would fly to his hands and all manner of wild creatures would feel the love that emanated from him and would cease to feel enmity.

I have experienced with this notion on many occasions myself. Once while jogging in Egypt a pack of dogs came running toward me at 4:30am barking ferociously. I stopped jogging and also stopped thoughts of fear or violence and they became calm and harmless.

As you contemplate this idea of abstention from harmful thoughts or intentions, keep in mind that those areas of your life, which you have labeled as "problems," could no longer exist if you were to be this idea each and every day. The reason you are not experiencing bliss at this precise moment is because you are focusing on what is wrong or missing. Begin the process of filling your mind with love, gratitude, and forgiveness. Ernest Holmes wrote, "What a load is dropped from the shoulders of personal responsibility, when we realize that the eternal mind holds naught against anybody."

Being in the space of the eternal mind is what you need to do as you pursue spiritual solutions in your life. Hold naught against anyone, and while you're at it, keep in mind Albert Einstein's helpful hint about why it is important to change around the way you process everything and everyone involved in what you call your problems. Einstein said, " The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking which created them."

Problems are illusions of the material world. Solutions are attributes of your immersion in the world of spirit. Yes, there is a spiritual solution to every problem. But you will have to move to a higher lovel of thinking to do so. These then are the five basic aphorisms of Patanjali that will guide you to change the mind that created the problem.

1. Identify yourself beyond ignorance.
2. Calmness is the peace of God within you.
3. You create obstacles, you do not sin.
4. Be steadfast in abstaining from falsehood.
5. Be steadfast in abstaining from harmful thoughts and acts.

As you face a problem, remind yourself that you created it with one mind, and you will solve it with another. "Problems" come from a nonspiritual mind-set. There is a spiritual solution available, and you can create the energy to access it at will. As you work at mastering the five aphorisms of Patanjali, know that they represent the higher places you can attain in the world of spirit. One step at a time, you will find grace, and peace supplanting the strife. You will literally be creating a new energy field for yourself.

                *** Typed from the book: There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem by Dr. Wayne Dyer ***