Sutra 1.12

Bridge at the Vivekananda Retreat in Ganges, Michigan. http://chicagovedanta.org/ganges.html

अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः॥१२॥

abhyaasa vairaagya aabhyaam tun nirodha-ha

Ravi Ravindra’s translation is, ‘Stillness of the mind develops through practice (abhyaasa) and non-attachment (vairaagya).’

In yoga, the expression, ‘Aham Brahamasmi’ means ‘I am in Brahman, or ‘I am the Infinite Reality’. Being intelligent, I have a deep recognition of the ultimate spiritual creature that I am. But to get above my commonplace needs, desires and stresses, I have to discipline myself repeatedly, and daily practice non-doing in doing, and living life not being affected by the result of each incident and its consequences. When you can live in vairagya through abhyasa there will be no stresses, just serenity.