Practice and Detachment Sutras

I. 12 Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.

I. 13 Practice is the steadfast effort to still these fluctuations

I. 14 Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for restraining the    fluctuations.

I. 15 Renunciation is the practice of detachment from desires.

I. 16 The ultimate renunciation is when one transcends the qualities of nature and perceives the soul.

Iyengar's  translation.  

Here's what we'll discuss in class. 

What kinds of things do you practice?  

Do they still the mind  even if they are not  aimed at  stilling the mind? 

Detachment, non-attachment, dispassion, disinterestedness, renunication  are  all translations of the word  vairagya.  

In my experience, we  generally start of  with a fairly negative view of these words? 

Do you agree? 

Why do you think so? 

What  situations seem to require  non-attachment? 

Why might it be helpful to cultivate this  state  on the spiritual path? 

Why might it be harmful?