1. What is Time?

Could you speak about time? Yoga Sutra IV, 12 says, "the past and future are as real as the present." [ 1 ] So, how to deal with time? And where is our freedom if the future already exists? How does it exist already? How can we change it?

What is time? Time is a particular succession made up of moments. Just as a line is nothing but points, points placed adjacent to each other. Several points make a line. So a line does not have any entity. A line is ultimately just points. Similarly, time does not have any entity. Time is nothing but the composition of moments and successive moments make a second, and then make a minute, and then make an hour. So, understand first this thing: what is a line? A line has no entity. A line is only points, adjacent to each other. If you just go on putting points, adjacent to each other, that forms a line. So, there is a line. Without points can there be a line? There can be no line without points. A point is not a line. What is a point? A point is something which has no dimension; it has no length, no width, no breadth. This is mathematics. So, a point has no dimension. Now a line is nothing but several, several points. Ultimately, therefore, a line has no dimension; therefore there is no line.

On the surface of the earth there is no such thing as a straight line; it doesn't exist. Nevertheless we speak of a straight line in geometry; we say triangle, we say square, we say rectangle. Where is the square? Where is the rectangle? Where is the triangle? There can be no triangle. Any line drawn on the surface of the earth is part of a circle. There is no straight line on the surface of the earth. Any line, or so-called line, is part of a circle. Now, do you call this a "triangle," with arched lines? A triangle should have straight lines for you. Where is the straight line? There is no straight line but still we assume that there is a straight line in geometry - and we have all the technology. Realistic technology is based on something that does not exist.

Similarly, time has no entity. There are only moments; the moment is the only entity. And several moments make a millisecond, several, several moments make a second, several, several, several moments make a minute, and so forth. So, a moment is the true entity, and that is why you have heard Guruji several times talking about that "moment to moment awareness" - that you can form a chain of awareness if you are constantly aware of moments. Many philosophers say that you should be in the present, never in the past or future. What is the way to be in the present and what is the way to avoid being in past or in the future?

It's to be aware...

Aware of what?

Of the present.

But then how do you constantly stay in the present if, from moment to moment, the changes are there. This moment you are here, the next moment you are there. Where are you in the present? You are flowing. That means you are on the line that does not exist.

What are you doing at the moment? You are not talking with me. No.

I'm listening to you.

That is not the present. What is the present? The present is that you are breath. Can you listen without breath?

Not for long!

The basic point is that the breath is the only one on account of which you are existing this moment. And therefore, advertence on the breath is to be in the present. Otherwise you are jumping. Suppose you are doing Sirsasana and you say, "I want presence of mind," but you are jumping from fingers to toes, back to chest, head to ankles. Where are you in the present? You are in space.

So, if you want to be in the present, the yoga mysticism says that you must be advertent to your breathing.

When you are in the breathing, every moment is scrutinized; every moment is undergoing your vigilance if you observe your breath.

Now you are not in the present; that is why you can still be thinking even when I am talking. So, if you are listening to me, you will not be in the present. Many moments, you will be slipping because I say something and you think. I will be entering the next word but you will still be in the previous word, because you think about that word. So, if you are listening to me, don't think you are in the present. You can't be in the present.

Now, I made a pause for a while, and still something went on in your mind. How can you say that you are listening to me when I am silent? You are not silent, you are still thinking of what I have said. That is why the yoga mysticism says that you must be advertent of the breathing, of the breath, in order to be in the present. As long as you are observing the yogic breath you will be in the present.

We cannot do that when we have some things to do.

Well. What is yoga? If you are doing yoga, then that is what you are supposed to be doing! Yoga is to be with the breath; it is to be with your own breath. To be with your own breath is to be in the present. There is no other way to be in present. You will not get the flow. You will be interrupted; you will be deviated. While I am talking to you, it is possible that you might think, for a moment, of your lunch, or something in Paris. You can think of something like "what is happening to the child?" Some tiny moment and the deviation will be there. There is no other way to be in present than the yogic breath. That is why yoga mysticism has stressed on the breath. The philosophers have said, "forget the past and don't think of the future." That is rubbish! That can never happen. It will only happen if you watch your yogic breath. The more you are unified with the breath, the more you will be able to be in the present.

Can we be unified with the breath all the time?

That is what is expected. If you are a yogi it will happen. You are in the making, so if you go on doing it, that is what is expected. It will not be twenty-four hours; if you do twenty-four hours, you are in samadhi.

Is it like doing all our actions: we must have a certain distance in order to be with our breath and to be active at the same time. The connection should be there.

Yes, yes. That is why you have to try to compose your action with the breath itself.

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