The way into yoga is, says Sharath via Krishnamacharya, through asana which purifies the body and ends delusions and then implementing and following the do's and don'ts of yoga, the yamas and niyamas.
I have found that just those three things, those basic, external, three limbs of yoga contain within them the seeds of very powerful gifts, or superpowers as I am inclined to call them today.
I did some thinking last night and came up with just five that are in themselves quite amazing in the results they bring about. Now of course we are all warned not to focus on the results, to just do them because it is the "right livelihood" way of going about life. Nevertheless these results are very real, they happen.
Truth/Non-Violence And Your Word Becomes Law
When we speak the truth all the time, and NOT with radical honesty (meaning just vomiting everything that is on our minds) but rather wise honesty, the one that puts an effort into speaking truth without harming (they go together) then, whatever you say you will do you do. You start keeping your promises, keeping your word, becoming trust-worthy.
Over a long period of time, that is how it is expressed in the yoga sutras because no results come if the practice is not maintained over a long haul, then your word becomes law. Meaning that what you say comes true, the universe has no choice. As long as you keep to truth and non-violence it has to. There is no other choice. You are aligned with what is best for everyone, there is no intention of harming and you keep your word. So it is law. A powerful power!
Kindness Brings Healing
Being kind to others, always, taking into consideration other people's feelings etc., leads to an environment of trust. There is comfort in our words, what we speak of carries a sacred hallow of friendship, of keeping others in the light. Seen this word, our kindness can be healing, as there is health and well-being in comfort and trust.
For example, a few years ago I confessed in front of a support group how bad I felt about something I did to my little brother when I was 8 or 7, a kid. After the time allotted for me to speak, and at the end of the meeting people came to me and reminded me that as bad as it sounded (I think I cut him with a piece of a broken porcelain figurine just to see if it would cut or not) the people in the group reminded me that I was a kid, that I did not know better, and that I was living within some strange circumstances in a country going through a dictatorship where the family circumstances were rather violent.
It was in their kindness, through how they saw beyond that I started the healing process, that I could allow myself to see the situation for what it was and begin the journey of forgiving myself.
Non-Stealing Brings Abundance
When we stop taking away things that are not offered to us, when we do not take paper clips from the office, or even a bag of tea, and we also stop stealing energy from others by being mean, or disproportionately critical, we enter the flow of knowing that there is enough for everyone. There is enough energy in us to be happy and enough money in the world for us to live in abundance.
Some people say that the yoga sutra related to this "being rooted in non stealing brings about the attainment of prosperity" is to be taken lightly.
I think it is actually the opposite, it is NOT to be taken lightly and rather experimented with, for example by looking at every action we perform and passing it through the question: "Would this be stealing"? Stealing nergy? Money? Things? Literally going from the gross, as in stealing a 100 dollar bill, to the very subtle, as in stealing some one's peace of mind by accusing them wrongly of something they have not done and then pretending it was a joke.
Contentment Brings Peace
When we experience contentment no matter what, which of course takes practice, we develop the muscle of acceptance and surrendering. When we know that we are cared for, which is what contentment suggests to the higher powers that be, we generate an aura of peace around us.
No matter what it may take, or what the circumstances would be we know we are to be OK, and so do others around us. The peace that contentment generates is contagious.
For example, at the height of the Bear Stearns/JP Morgan/Leehman Brothers disaster in 2008, my friend M lost her job and her husband lost his as well. We were in the bathroom after practicing yoga and all the women, me included, were getting dressed, doing their hair etc. while we listened to M and how she was coping with such events. She told us that the night before she had talked to her husband and had said to him: "Well, at least we have each other".
That right there was peaceful to me. I knew then that if she was OK I would be too when the time came if it did, which it did, only 5 months later when the financial turmoil hit me. Her peaceful attitude of acceptance rubbed off onto me and made me feel safe. It is contagious indeed.
Asanas/Tapas Brings Discipline
When we do our daily practice, no matter what our mind is telling us, no matter what the resistance, when we actually surrender to the body we have today and get on the mat with it, then we start to develop the discipline muscle. We exercise it.
We go through difficult situations, i.e.: our mind saying it does not want to practice, and see that we can still do it in spite of it. We notice our limitations and go beyond them, not just in mind but also literally in body as we enter and practice poses difficult to master like kurmasana, which takes years.
Discipline is a super power in my book, as it generates enough energy for us to focus on a task at hand and get it done, it cuts through procrastination and teaches us that in spite of a bad day things that are important to us need to be in place and done. Discipline also teaches us about using resources in an efficient way and that creates an environment of order and priorities where things flow in a seemingly easy way, almost effortlessly.
I have found that just those three things, those basic, external, three limbs of yoga contain within them the seeds of very powerful gifts, or superpowers as I am inclined to call them today.
I did some thinking last night and came up with just five that are in themselves quite amazing in the results they bring about. Now of course we are all warned not to focus on the results, to just do them because it is the "right livelihood" way of going about life. Nevertheless these results are very real, they happen.
Truth/Non-Violence And Your Word Becomes Law
When we speak the truth all the time, and NOT with radical honesty (meaning just vomiting everything that is on our minds) but rather wise honesty, the one that puts an effort into speaking truth without harming (they go together) then, whatever you say you will do you do. You start keeping your promises, keeping your word, becoming trust-worthy.
Over a long period of time, that is how it is expressed in the yoga sutras because no results come if the practice is not maintained over a long haul, then your word becomes law. Meaning that what you say comes true, the universe has no choice. As long as you keep to truth and non-violence it has to. There is no other choice. You are aligned with what is best for everyone, there is no intention of harming and you keep your word. So it is law. A powerful power!
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| Suggested google image for "your word is law" |
Kindness Brings Healing
Being kind to others, always, taking into consideration other people's feelings etc., leads to an environment of trust. There is comfort in our words, what we speak of carries a sacred hallow of friendship, of keeping others in the light. Seen this word, our kindness can be healing, as there is health and well-being in comfort and trust.
For example, a few years ago I confessed in front of a support group how bad I felt about something I did to my little brother when I was 8 or 7, a kid. After the time allotted for me to speak, and at the end of the meeting people came to me and reminded me that as bad as it sounded (I think I cut him with a piece of a broken porcelain figurine just to see if it would cut or not) the people in the group reminded me that I was a kid, that I did not know better, and that I was living within some strange circumstances in a country going through a dictatorship where the family circumstances were rather violent.
It was in their kindness, through how they saw beyond that I started the healing process, that I could allow myself to see the situation for what it was and begin the journey of forgiving myself.
Non-Stealing Brings Abundance
When we stop taking away things that are not offered to us, when we do not take paper clips from the office, or even a bag of tea, and we also stop stealing energy from others by being mean, or disproportionately critical, we enter the flow of knowing that there is enough for everyone. There is enough energy in us to be happy and enough money in the world for us to live in abundance.
Some people say that the yoga sutra related to this "being rooted in non stealing brings about the attainment of prosperity" is to be taken lightly.
I think it is actually the opposite, it is NOT to be taken lightly and rather experimented with, for example by looking at every action we perform and passing it through the question: "Would this be stealing"? Stealing nergy? Money? Things? Literally going from the gross, as in stealing a 100 dollar bill, to the very subtle, as in stealing some one's peace of mind by accusing them wrongly of something they have not done and then pretending it was a joke.
Contentment Brings Peace
When we experience contentment no matter what, which of course takes practice, we develop the muscle of acceptance and surrendering. When we know that we are cared for, which is what contentment suggests to the higher powers that be, we generate an aura of peace around us.
No matter what it may take, or what the circumstances would be we know we are to be OK, and so do others around us. The peace that contentment generates is contagious.
For example, at the height of the Bear Stearns/JP Morgan/Leehman Brothers disaster in 2008, my friend M lost her job and her husband lost his as well. We were in the bathroom after practicing yoga and all the women, me included, were getting dressed, doing their hair etc. while we listened to M and how she was coping with such events. She told us that the night before she had talked to her husband and had said to him: "Well, at least we have each other".
That right there was peaceful to me. I knew then that if she was OK I would be too when the time came if it did, which it did, only 5 months later when the financial turmoil hit me. Her peaceful attitude of acceptance rubbed off onto me and made me feel safe. It is contagious indeed.
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| Google images found this picture... I agree with it |
When we do our daily practice, no matter what our mind is telling us, no matter what the resistance, when we actually surrender to the body we have today and get on the mat with it, then we start to develop the discipline muscle. We exercise it.
We go through difficult situations, i.e.: our mind saying it does not want to practice, and see that we can still do it in spite of it. We notice our limitations and go beyond them, not just in mind but also literally in body as we enter and practice poses difficult to master like kurmasana, which takes years.
Discipline is a super power in my book, as it generates enough energy for us to focus on a task at hand and get it done, it cuts through procrastination and teaches us that in spite of a bad day things that are important to us need to be in place and done. Discipline also teaches us about using resources in an efficient way and that creates an environment of order and priorities where things flow in a seemingly easy way, almost effortlessly.
Your blogs are such a pleasure to read. I'm sorry I didn't come across you sooner
ReplyDeleteThank you Mad Indian
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