Month: January 2015

Niyamas – Living from The Soul – Saucha, becoming beautiful

| Edna

Saucha is the first of the Niyamas, a set of concepts on the inner relationship with oneself and how we cultivate our personal and spiritual development.

Saucha is a Sanskrit word meaning Purity, Cleanliness and also includes the concept of “this. not that”, of knowing what you are to bring into your life to vibrate and progress to a higher consciousness, and what needs to be eliminated or moved away from.  To the untrained mind this might bring the conclusion home of depriving when it implies the opposite.  Once one makes finer choices in all walks of life, experiences becomes heightened and pure.  For example, inviting gentleness and gentle people into your life brings possibilities for finer  soul-sharing experiences.  Choosing not to consume fast foods, meat, food that is prepared without love and care, refines the palette and nourishes both the body and soul and intellect.  The smell and taste of a fruit becomes exquisite and appreciated.

We also choose our thoughts and keep what we think positive and clean, non-harmful towards ourselves and others, as we realize the power of thoughts and how it affects Self and Others.  We choose to stimulate the intellect with positive knowledge and learning that moves us forward in all aspects of our being – in thought, conversation, health, art, freedom of movement to be who we truly are – manifesting a beauty from the inside out.

Saucha is a complete philosophy and no longer the ignorant perception of washing the physical body.  Once we vibrate in purity, we extend this consciousness to our personal surroundings.  Our homes become fresh, uncluttered and filled with Light.  We contribute this to our environment, in our interactions with others.

Purity is beauty.  Real beauty.  It is for everyone to have and to share.  Start in manifesting “this and not that” in your body, mind, people in your life, environment.  Experience the essence of  whole food, whole relationships, a whole body, whole soul and all things beautiful and simplistic!

Bliss in Simplicity

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Aparigraha – Last of The Yamas

| Edna

Anyone that turns serious about Yoga, will at some stage become knowledgeable about the Yamas and Niyamas, as this is the first step for a yogi.  Being a Yogi in no means implies living separate from the world.  Therefore, refining whom we are towards others, from the inside out, with a consciousness to purify and care, comes as the very first step in yoga.

The last of the Yamas – Aparigraha – means non-hoarding, – living free from a type of greed where one’s own material gain or happiness inflicts hurt, loss or injury to any other human being, life form or nature.

It also touches on the art of giving and receiving. Now, this in itself is a huge topic.  Only once one has been in the situation of needing charity, can one fully grasps what it means to give and to receive.

Aparigraha can also be applied to emotional wellness – the ability to let go, freeing oneself from longings, wanting and emotional dependency.

Aparigraha thus implicates, once again, self-restraint – not to hurt anyone with greed and secondly, letting go (not holding on), and also the art of becoming a giver and receiver, with fine wisdom and insight.

Our needs are different at various stages of our life’s.   How we will use money and material belongings changes as we advance in life.

Someone that take what’s not his – filled with greed to accumulate at the price of another’s well-being – is causing direct and indirect harm, as hoarding or with-holding wealth has a detrimental impact on the lives of others.  Once conscious of the extend of harm greed inflicts,  will one also realize that it is greed that turns a man into a thief.

Should you have been affected by a harmful act of greed, become grateful even for the sufferings that are calling you on and forward, in this way renewing yourself, filling your life with new experiences.  Nothing is ours, we are merely passing through.

Also, when one give it means giving.  The receiver is free to do as he pleases.   Giving implies the giver has no control or expectations in giving.  Otherwise, it is merely an extent of greed, to have control in the life of someone else.

To receive is humbling.  Be wise with what you receive.

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I will forever be grateful to Sri Seshadri, PAVY, Mysore that once gave me his class “to take”. “Take my class” was an opportunity that saved me in a way un- explainable.  I was deeply burdened, unable to see the way out. Sri Sheshadri has never given his class to anyone else before, not even to his son and Sri Sheshadri was equally surprised at his own words and the opportunity he gave me, not knowing it opened the moment for me to find my voice on the mat again.  The opportunity to teach a class filled with yogis from all over the world brought me back into my true being – remembering myself again.  I spread my wings and fly –  passing on the gift – the gift of yoga. The most insignificant act of kindness can change the circumstances of someone that is in a desperate situation.

This brings the posts on Yamas – the first steps towards social refinement and consciousness, to a close.

Refining our Sexual behaviour – Brahmacharya

| Edna

The fourth Yama is Brahmacharya and it means celibacy, self-restraint and studying.  In the Western world, we obtain a “Bachelors” Degree – it is clear that deep within our roots the concept of self-improvement goes hand in hand with self-restraint, especially in sexuality.

Life, every single aspect of life, is a play between the sexes, at work, home, going shopping, sitting on the sidewalk watching the girls/guys go by.  The play of energies between a man and a woman is the inspiration behind music, novels, movies, poetry and we are drawn to the opposite sex for reasons sometimes unexplained. This is why control of our energy – the energy that brings forth life, creative energy – is as relevant as ever.   We cannot step into the world without a personal refinement, a personal responsibility, a personal respect and sacredness towards our own sexuality.  The “play” between man and woman can easily become a tragedy, should we act outside of whom we are by nature. The roles of female/male are well defined and no matter how society wants to break it down and level the plains, subtle energies and needs are inherent in the sexes.

The interest we have in the opposite sex should not be to “mate” – but to be a “soul-mate”.  It takes time for a couple to harmonize the energies between them, it is a constant fine tune-ing and real, hard work and commitment. (Sometimes soul-mates outgrow each other and move on.  The reality of our times is that we will have several relationships in one lifetime.)

Wandering eyes, measuring the physical appearance of the opposite sex, is already violating the sexuality of someone that has no control over this violation taking place. See the other as a whole being.  Know that sexuality comes with responsibility.   Refine who you are in this world, also sexually.   With consciousness in life, sexuality – becomes an art.  Fine tune who you are.  Fine tune your interaction with the opposite sex, no matter the place or situation and act in line with consciousness and with respect.

Without exploring human love, the pleasures, pain and failures, it is impossible to move towards Divine Love.  By experiencing the fullness and brokenness of our personal creative energies, do we develop Compassion and Awareness of the Divine.

It is not to deny sexuality, rather remember your own Sacredness and Sweetness and Purity; to carry this scent in all walks of life.

When we are healthy in attitude with our sexuality, we have an increase in vitality and creativity.  The mind becomes filled with healthy courage and the intellect becomes sharp.  The opposite is also true.  The one that falls out of balance becomes weak and foolish.

Mahabharata Quotes:

“Repeated sin destroys the understanding And he whose reason is impaired repeats His sins. The constant practising of virtue Strengthens the mental faculties, and he Whose judgment stronger grows acts always right.“

“She is a wife who is notable in her house; she is a wife who beareth children; she is a wife whose husband is as her life; she is a wife who is obedient to her lord. The wife is half the man; a wife is man?s dearest friend; a wife is the source of his religion, his worldly profit, and his love. He who hath a wife maketh offerings in his house. Those who have wives are blest with good fortune. Wives are friends, who, by their kind and gentle speech, soothe you in your retirement. In your distresses they are as mothers, and they are refreshment to those who are travellers in the rugged paths of life.“17042011(009)

The Third Yama – Asteya

| Edna

Could it really be necessary to speak about Asteya, (non-stealing) when the ones present has everything they need?

Unfortunately the answer is yes.  The desire to possess more than we need, to enjoy even what is not ours (in a sacred contract), the stealing of ideas that is driven by a hungry ego- these are the very actions in society that we deal with daily.  The ever-hunger urge “to have what is mine and what is yours is also mine, is also what I want or want to become” is a common mindset amongst us.

The yogi gradually reduces physical needs to the minimum and gathering what is not needed compares to the actions of theft.  The world is in a constant crave for power, enjoyment and indulgence.  This urge for satisfaction only separates one from tranquility.  Life becomes a battle with frustration and endless wanting.  Holding on to more than what is your share cripples one.  Your possessions becomes who you are, your power, your walls of protection, your weapon against the simple man or woman, it becomes your crutches and it consumes the Light inside you.  It becomes suffocating.

No one should go without the basics – a home, a warm bed, food, healthcare – but this happens in all walks of life far more than what we would like to acknowledge or know about.

May we become less and less the slaves of our desires, cravings and a false sense of power.

May everyone have the wisdom to find balance in their needs.  May there be a flow of what is needed to all beings.

May we become real about ourselves and our actions, real about what we take for ourselves.

The one that is free from greed, becomes the trusted with all treasures.

Let go of the hunger for more.  It is a false hunger.  See how wonderfully you are taken care off already.  Work to have just enough to have the freedom and time to develop spiritually and intellectually.

Blessings is ours.