Yoga Sutra 1.33 A Guide to a Compassionate Heart and a Calm Mind

Yoga Sutra 1.33: A Guide to a Compassionate Heart and a Calm Mind

As translated by Nischala Joy Devi in The Secret Power of Yoga

“To preserve openness of heart and calmness of mind, nurture these attitudes:
• Kindness to those who are happy
• Compassion for those who are less fortunate
• Honor for those who embody noble qualities
• Equanimity to those whose actions oppose your values”

The Yoga Sutras were written by the sage Patanjali thousands of years ago. It strikes me that we humans, in our modern world, still have the same inner struggles. This particular sutra, 1.33, has always stood out to me as a deeply human guide for cultivating peace in both the heart and mind.

Kindness to Those Who Are Happy

At first glance, this sounds simple. But when we pause, we might notice subtle feelings of comparison, envy, or resentment when others succeed or seem joyful. This line encourages us to meet those reactions with compassion—to ourselves first—and then choose genuine kindness. When we celebrate others’ happiness, we create more joy in the world. The Sanskrit word for kindness or friendliness is maitri.

Compassion for Those Who Are Less Fortunate

This seems like it should be easy but it is not uncommon to forget that many people are struggling and we are not even aware of it.  Also, it is easy to take for granted all the comforts that we have in this modern world. We are reminded to keep our hearts open to the suffering we may not see and to extend care where we can. The Sanskrit word for compassion is karuna.

 Honor for Those Who Embody Noble Qualities

Patanjali reminds us to be reverent and humble. To honor the teachers, the elders, and those who inspire us with their wisdom. The Sanskrit word for joy and honor is mudita.

Equanimity to Those Whose Actions Oppose Your Values

This may be the most challenging one for many of us. Yoga does not tell us that we should not feel angry or take action to help and care for others who are hurt.  It is not about spiritual bypassing or ignoring what is happening. What it does teach us is how to approach difficult people and situations with an inner steadiness. How to process our emotions, keep our hearts open and connect to our wisdom so that we may speak and act- not react-from a place of clarity, compassion and inner wisdom.  The Sanskrit word for equanimity is upeksha.

You can find Nischala Joy Devi’s book on Amazon HERE 

The Kirtan Kriya

The Kirtan Kriya is an ancient Kundalini  meditation technique that uses mantra and hand mudras to help focus and quiet the mind. It is a powerful tool that can help us to connect with our own inner wisdom.  The Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation did a 12 week study using the Kirtan Kriya for 12 minutes a day.  Participants were found to have improved executive function, mood and resilience.

The Kirtan Kriya comes from the sanskrit words “sat nam” which means “truth is my essence”. The chant is Sa Ta Na Ma representing the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth. The Kirtan Kriya is repeated while seated with a straight spine, thumb touching each finger:

The words of this chant are:

Sa-Birth

Ta-Life

Na-Death or completion

Ma- rebirth

The mudra is thumb touches index finger (Sa), thumb touches middle finger (Ta), thumb touches ring finger (Na), thumb touches little finger (Ma)

There is also a visualization of light streaming in from the top of the head and out through the forehead (third eye)

The chant with mudra is practiced for 12 minutes, 2 minutes out loud, 2 minutes in a whisper, 3 minutes silent, 2 minutes in whisper, 2 minutes out loud. Final minute of silence, stillness. This chant can be done with or without music.  I like to practice this chant with music which helps with the timing.  My favorite version is by Nirinjan Kaur.  You can hear it HERE

Removing the obstacles that block your peace

The Hindu deity Ganesha is one of the most well known and revered in India. Ganesha is most often pictured as having an elephant head and a buddha body. There are many different myths and stories about how Ganesha came to be.

Ganesha is said to be the son of the god Shiva and goddess Parvarti.  Shiva was a very important and busy man who often left his wife alone.  Parvarti was lonely so she created a son out of clay and named him Ganesha.  When Shiva returned home, he did not know this new being and became angry. So he cut off his head!  After he realized what he had done and saw how sad Parvatti was, he tried to make amends. Shiva took the head of a pure being- a white elephant- and placed this elephant head on his son’s body. It is said that an elephant laid down his head as an offering for Shiva.

The energy of Ganesha is said to bring good luck and to remove energetic blocks.  He is known as the remover of obstacles, and also is known to place obstacles in our path if we are going in the wrong direction. We can use the energy of Ganesha to help move those human emotions (fear, shame, guilt, anger, grief, feeling not enough) that tend to clutter up our hearts and minds and block the path to peace. The energy of Ganesha is one of prosperity, abudance, courage, strength and new beginnings. Often you will see statues of Ganesha at an entrance or threshold.

 Elephants are very smart, strong, steady and they have emotions similar to humans. The elephant ears represent the ability to listen within, the big trunk represents discernment and the ability to be both strong and gentle. Ganesha statues have just one tusk which represents single pointed focus. Ganesha is sometimes pictured with a bowl of sweets which represents embracing the sweetness of life.

 Chanting to the energy of Ganesha is a tool to remove energetic blocks to inner peace. My favorite version is by Deva Premal. The mantra is chanted 108 times.

“Om Gum Ganapataye Namaha”

This chant translates as:    Om: sacred sound of the universe and creation, Gum:  the seed sound (beeja mantra) for Ganesha, Ganapataye:  another name for Ganesha, Namaha:  salutations

Click HERE to hear this chant.

Spiraling inward

"But what I want first of all..... is to be at peace with myself. I want a singleness of eye, a purity of intention, a central core to my life that will enable me to carry out my obligations and activities as well as I can. I want, in fact to live "in grace" as much of the time as possible. I am not using this term in a strictly theological sense. By grace I mean an inner harmony, essentially spiritual, whch can be translated into outward harmony." ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

When in Thailand, our group spent a wonderful day on a traditional Thai long-tail boat visiting some of the surrounding islands.  We spent time on the beach looking for a special shell known as “Shivas Eye”.  The beachcomber in me was very enthusiastic to look for these shells!  The picture above is the one that I found, a rare treasure from Thailand. The shell is characterized by a swirl at the center.    It is the trap door of a larger shell belonging to the Turban Sea Snail. As the snail retreats into it’s shell, it shuts this door. The shivas eye blocks the entrance and serves to protect the snail. Finding this shell is believed to bring good fortune and protection.  It is named after the Hindu god Shiva.

This shell reminds me of the importance of taking time to get quiet and listen to the wisdom within. The third eye center, in the teachings of yoga, is also known as the sixth chakra, ajna chakra. It is located at the center of the forehead and extends into the center of the brain at the pineal gland. When the sixth chakra is balanced, one feels clarity of thought and a strong sense of intuition and insight. Chanting the seed sound of ohm vibrates the chakra and brings a balancing energy there. Practicing meditation on the third eye is a powerful way to help quiet the fluctuations of the mind and eases connection with inner wisdom and spirit. It helps us find our focus and live more in grace. I love how the tools of yoga along with symbols in nature are always guiding us to spiral inward and help us to connect with that place at our center where there is wisdom and peace.