Do we always have to keep our brain as quiet as possible in any pose?
Of course. You know that to be reflective is good. What is reflection? What is the condition of reflection? How can you be reflective in the brain? What is the difference between "thoughtful" and "reflective?" We often say, "I am reflecting on a problem" - that itself is an irony. You cannot be reflecting on a problem, because a problem means turbulence. A problem always implies that there is turbulence, that there is disturbance, and that there is disquietude. We are never quiet with a problem. Can you imagine that you have problems and the problems are keeping you quiet? You can't be quiet in problems and problems cannot make you quiet! So it implies that the problem means turbulence and that the problem means disquietude, disturbance. And you say, "I am reflecting on a problem." You can't reflect on a problem, because what is reflection? When a lake is serene, quiet, undisturbed, you get the reflections. When you disturb the surface of the water, what will happen?
In a lake, the soil of the water has to settle down and then the water has to become steady and only then do you get the reflections. For reflection, your mind should be quiet like a lake ; then you get the reflection. Reflection is not a thought process. Actually, what you do is that you think on a problem and you say, "I'm reflecting on a problem." Actually, you are "thinking of a problem" and that means you are creating constant waves on the mind, and if you are constantly creating waves and ripples on the mind, there can be no possibility of reflection ; because if you are disturbing and creating ripples on the water, you cannot get the reflection. If you disturb the water, even if you get reflections, they are distorted. But in total disturbance you don't get the reflections at all. If the water is turbulent, you will not get any reflection.
So, reflection is a quiet state of mind and if you are supposed to be reflecting in the asana, naturally, you must have quietude. Nowhere has it been said that your brain should be tense in asana or should be turbulent in asana. It is the first and foremost thing that you keep your brain quiet.
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