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Namaste Yogis & Yoginis,
As I write this, it's the 4th anniversary of the great teacher BKS Iyengar's death. This month, I also lost a family member, and a couple of close friends lost someone, as well as hearing of much loss in the community. Every now and again it seems like a wave of loss hits, and it becomes a time of contemplation not only on death, but on life for those of us left behind, inspired by those who have gone before us. It can be a time of appreciation for the opportunity we have, and a re-commitment to live our best life.
For me, amazing guidelines to a best life are found in first two of the Eight Limbs (Ashtanga), at the heart of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. They don't tell me how to travel more, or earn more money, or acquire more material possessions. They help me to live in harmony with others and the world around me, and to live in harmony for myself. Then I feel aligned to something greater, then I feel I am my best self in any situation. For we cannot always control what happens outside of ourselves, but we can control what we contribute to a situation, and how we respond to it, and therein lies the magic.
The first two limbs are Yama (methods and qualities to live in harmony with others) and Niyama (methods and qualities to live in harmony within oneself) and they each have five branches.
The Yamas are:
Ahimsa (non-harm). As the Hippocratic Oath states “first, do no harm”, in thought, word, or deed. Harm to others and harm to the environment inevitably reflects back onto ourselves – we are part of creation. At very least, we have to live with the person we have come to do such harm. Harm is usually motivated by fear, greed, ignorance or apathy – do we really want to live from that place? Both spiritual teachings (and quantum science) tell us “we are one” - so whatever we do to the other, we do to ourselves. Even Jesus reminded us “whoever does not help the least of my brothers and sisters, fails to help me”. We also need to remember the chain of consequences – buying a cheap product may not seem harmful – but if we understand the process that brought it to us was harmful to the earth, the health of the people who made it – we are complicit in that harm. It is difficult to live this way, but it is possible to shop ethically as best we can. A good way to remember this principle in the modern vernacular is BE KIND.
Satya: (truthfulness) This is not just about refraining from lies, but an inspiration to live with integrity, live aligned to your highest values, and ultimately to live aligned with the absolute Truth of you who are (Love, Divine, a miracle of life). Live congruently. It is easy to get fooled into living a relative truth based on our thoughts, emotions and propaganda from outside ourselves, to follow the crowd; but Satya instructs us to look beyond that, to free ourselves from being ruled by our emotions, thoughts and conditioning – to live in a way that reflects the magnificent miracle of life and truth that we really are. WALK YOUR TALK and REMEMBER WHO YOU TRULY ARE.
Asteya: (non-stealing) This of course includes not just taking another's possessions, but it also includes not taking more than you need, and not taking more than is reasonably yours, not taking more from the earth than sustains life, not taking more time than is allocated to you, not taking more attention, not taking more food from a plate than your share, not taking anything in excess, not taking anything that leaves another without, not taking more resources than you need to live. When we take more, there is always less for someone else. When everyone takes more than their share – then depletion arises in what's being given/the giver – whether that be the earth, food, water, time, a teacher's attention, or any kind of resource. We can clearly see the problems on our planet right now as a result of neglecting this important precept. The Brahmavihara of dana (generosity) helps counteract this tendency, as does the practice of contentment to be discussed in the Niyamas. LIVE SUSTAINABLY AND RESPECTFULLY.
Brahmacarya (mindfulness): Although many translate this as celibacy or restraint, I choose mindfulness as the closes translation, but it goes further than that... Literally “Brahman acarya” “to walk in the Supreme state of awareness” Brahmacarya encourages us to have a reference point – our highest potential state of being, and to live in a way that takes us towards that. There is no right or wrong in yoga traditions, just that which takes us towards or away from the Ideal. This can be in simple things like health, parenting, friendship (does this word/thought/deed take me towards being in ideal health, the best parent or friend I can be, or away from it?) all the way through to the Absolute Ideal – or enlightened state of being. To remain mindful of that in every moment. In modern language I might say BE LOVE, LIVE FROM LOVE or CHOOSE LOVE NOT FEAR.
Aparigraha (non-grasping, non-greed, non-ownership) if Asteya refers to the physical aspect of stealing, Aparigraha refers to the mental. Not coveting or desiring that which is not yours, nor reasonably expected to be yours. A mind-state of greed and desire propels the actions which cause harm. Refraining from that mindset is the first step in creating a new way of being and cultivating positive qualities such as generosity, contentment and gratitude. This indicates we must look to discipline our thoughts as well as our actions. It also speaks to the delusion of ownership. Anything that is “mine” comes from egoic thinking (Asmita – I-am-ness) and separates. Yoga unites, and when we remember we are all in this together, that when we raise one up, we raise all up – that we are all part of one creation, and the need for ownership drops away. Tame those big greedy eyes and turn your sense inwards instead. Greed, coveting and ownership have a very temporary form of sensory happiness that is soon replaced by fear (of loss), stress (of protecting), and lack (wanting more of) the objects we desire. No happiness comes from anything external. FREE YOUR MIND.
So in summary:
Be kind, Remember who You truly are, live Sustainably & Respectfully, choose Love not fear and Free your Mind.
Remember, don't just take my word for it – try it out, and see how your relationship with others and the world around you changes. (tip: don't expect others to change with you – live YOUR best life, and inspire by example. If everyone did this, we really could have world peace).
We will look at the Niyamas (living in harmony within yourself) in the next newsletter. Until then, I leave you with my favourite quote on death – reminding us, there is a far greater state of being than we can even imagine...
“Death is not extinguishing the light, just turning out the lamp because the dawn has come” - Rabindranath Tagore.
Much love,
Suzanne
<3
COMING UP AT GCYC...
BOOKED OUT! Contact office to go on the waiting list
Ashtanga Led Full Vinyasa Primary Series with Mark Togni
Saturday 25th August 2018 at 3pm
One-Day Silent Zen Meditation
Sunday 16th September 2018 - 9.30am to 5pm
Spring Clean Your Health with Ayurveda
Saturday 29th September 2018 at 1pm
Master Classes with Nicky Knoff
Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th October 2018
Practice Tip
Using the Breath to Change Your Life
Every conscious breath is a mini meditation.
Breathe in, breathe out.
Receive, give.
Fill, empty.
The opposites harmonised in this simple act.
This can be made more potent with a simple mantra:
I am (inhale) peace (exhale)
I am (inhale) love (exhale)
So (inhale) ham (exhale) (meaning - I am That)
Just 1 breath in this way can change your mood, your brain chemistry.
A few changes your whole day.
Daily practice changes your whole life.
Practice doesn't always have to be big, but the best results come with regularity.
10 conscious breaths a day? I know you can do that!
"I always tell people, live happily and die majestically."
B.K.S. Iyengar
Love and blessings <3 <3 Suzanne
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