As a younger yogi, I craved enlightenment (yes, I see the silliness in that). Like many people, I was drawn to yoga because I was suffering. When I first learned about attachment and aversion in yogic philosophy, I thought, great. If I want to be happy, I just have to stop liking and disliking things. … [Read more…]
I remember my first yoga experience, a beginners hatha yoga class in my hometown. In every class, the teacher would remind us, “Our true nature is peace.” I felt it every time, for a while at least. After class, I’d feel like I’d come home to the peace that had eluded me. Then I’d return … [Read more…]
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t met a lot of angry yogis. I’m not referring to yogis who get angry. I’m talking about yogis who are angry at their core. I’m not saying anger is in some way not yogic (a lot of us turn to yoga to deal with emotions like anger), … [Read more…]
There’s sometimes a misconception in the yoga community that yogis transcend all the messiness of life. Early in our practice, we’re often taught to let it go, as one of my teachers pointed out recently. But she wasn’t pointing that out to encourage it necessarily. She was pointing it out to dispel the myth that … [Read more…]
I had to smile when a friend thanked me for my attention to detail recently. I’d simply mentioned he could track a package he was waiting for with the FedEx tracking number so he’d know when to expect it. Though it seemed obvious to me, my friend hadn’t thought of it. His comment got me thinking about my yoga practice … [Read more…]
As we tap into the fire of tapas and learn more about ourselves through the practice of self-study, we begin to strip away layers of ego. Eventually, we reach a point beyond our intellect. At that point, we need faith in a higher power to go further. Faith in a higher power is the fifth … [Read more…]
Since it is winter in the northern hemisphere, I’m thinking about heat. And that reminds me of the third niyama — tapas — and the idea of (figuratively speaking) lighting a fire that can transform us. As we begin a new year, it’s an especially appropriate time to focus on the third niyama. Tapas seems … [Read more…]
Adhering to the yogic principle of non-possessiveness—the fifth yama—is a challenge. But its power cannot be denied. When I’m able to replace possessiveness with gratitude, my life improves dramatically! How does this work? If you’re familiar with the yamas and niyamas, you know they are guidelines for living. I sometimes think of them as the … [Read more…]
Asteya, the third yama of Patanjali’s Yoga, is non-stealing. It is more than not taking somebody else’s stuff. Behind the principle of asteya) is the notion of abundance, the idea that there is enough for everyone and everything is connected. In an ideal world, we would all share resources. Everyone would contribute to the community, … [Read more…]
The very first step on Patanjali’s eight-limbed path of yoga is the first yama: ahimsa. The word means nonviolence or non-harming. It can also be thought of as kindness. Understanding the First Yama Practicing ahimsa means doing no harm. We act with kindness toward other people, other beings, and the universe itself. Most of us … [Read more…]