embracing a positive, whereas the matter of the ice cream involved
avoiding a negative. In either case, intelligence operates in the same
manner. It is like a rudder on a boat that must be able to steer both to
port and starboard. If not, the craft would turn in circles.
Nevertheless, when trying to alter embedded behavioral patterns,
it is preferable to create a positive formulation. "Let me find out the
right way to lift my chest," is better than "Let me not get it wrong
again." We see this with children. "Don't stand there," is an order that
only serves to tell the child he or she is doing something wrong. The
unconscious mind, relatively more powerful in the young, cannot work
out from this where is the right place to stand. Only the rational con
scious mind can do that. "Come and stand over here," is an instruc
tion that makes full sense to the child. Otherwise he or she will live in
dread of doing wrong rather than the hope and expectation of doing
right. Since ingrained patterns of behavior, which yoga calls samskara
or subliminal impressions, lie, as the word subliminal suggests, largely
in our unconscious, it is in our own interests to emphasize the new and
positive action and not dwell on the negative past. Before we can strike
on this new path, we must understand how these ingrained habits and
patterns of behavior or conditioned reflexes-samskara-so often con
trol us.
Samskara: Freeing Yourself from Habit
If consciousness is like a lake, there are primary waves or fluctuations
of consciousness on the surface of the lake. These are easily discernible.
An example is that if you are invited to dinner by dear friends and, at
the last minute, they ring to cancel, then you're very disappointed. That
is a primary wave on the surface of the lake. You're disappointed,
you're unhappy, you feel let down, and you deal with that on the sur
face. You have to calm yourself down, get over your disappointnwnt.I. I A II I T Y T II 1: M 1: NT A I II U I l Y I AI .-1 N :1 .I I