Yogas citta nivrtti virodhah
Yoga is the inhibition of the modifications of the mind.
- Patanjali Yoga-sutra I.2
The master strategist is not one who creates reality, but one who recognises reality.
Dharma is "what is" - things as they are. The universe exists, and it exists in a certain way.
Intuitively understanding this, superior generals do not win through tactical dexterity, but rather through strategic dominance. They read the map and win the battlefield through positioning before the battle even begins, rather than seeking to win a battle through maneuver.
Although others consider him skillful, the truly skillful man realises that in reality he does nothing except to understand and accept his destiny, rather than to work against it.
Many swimmers in a river may have great dexterity of stroke, but it is the one who reads the current and flows with it who achieves the superior result, effortlessly.
By aligning herself with dharma, "things as they are", the skillful person aligns herself with the structure of the universe and anchors herself in the fabric of existence that underlies it. Thus she becomes simultaneously immovable and unstoppable.
She is a "seer of the truth" (tattva-darsi), not a creator of truth.
The essence of leadership is to understand who you are and be more that, and help others to do the same.
In this way the movement of the mind is stopped, and although he appears to be doing so many things, while it happens the skillful person realises that he in fact does nothing.
A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.
- Bhagavad-gita 5.8
Nirodah
I once, many moons gone, spent a long time looking into the etymology of Nirodah. I came across something interesting.
Some say that it comes from the development of the sacred fire and realted offerings.
You want to have the best flame you can get for your offerings, not just any flame will do.
I you build an emnbankment of soil as a ring around your ceremonial spot you can keep the breeze from disturbing the flame. In this way you can restrict the fluctuations caused by the environmental factors. The flame is below the embankment, or below the bank.
I like the image anyway, it stuck with me somehow.
Well it seemed like a bit of fun to be looking into it
: )