Tag Archives: pantanjali

Apr3

Asteya – Non Stealing

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The yama Asteya considers non-stealing or taking what is not freely given. This includes taking what belongs to another without permission, using something for a different purpose than it was intended for, or using something beyond the time permitted by its owner. I think it is safe to say that most people are not thieves and do not consciously steal as there are laws and penalties in place to prevent these actions. Socially it is unacceptable to steal. But consider the idea of taking too much. Is this a form of theft? Society promotes our separation from one another. The survival of the fittest and “dog eat dog” mentality creates constant competition to succeed in life by making money and consuming goods. Caught up in the rat race, the greed of taking more than we need is justified by the fact that we need to ensure our livelihood. We can make thieves of ourselves trying to fill all the lack created by the obligation to prosper and succeed. Generosity is challenged by the idea of getting ahead. When we see ourselves as separate we identify success with money, ownership, and attachment to things. Greed is perpetuated as we succumb to the story of the successful self.   In his book Ascent of Humanity, Charles Eisenstein addresses this:

“Indulging it greed only exacerbates the underlying need, because enclosing more of the world into the domain of mine separates us all the more from the connected interbeingness for which we hunger.”

 

Taking more than we need may provide some feeling of security but perpetuates the need to keep taking. Generosity, charity, and love are ideals that can shift this pattern. Witnessing how interconnected we are with our communities and nature can provoke us to give back and help others. Opening the doors of generosity, benevolence and the practice of non-greed promotes a deeper connection with others. As humans this is something we all crave. The opposite action of stealing is giving. As individuals we are all blessed with amazing qualities, talents and passions. These are our gifts to share.   Be the Gift.

 

Mar21

Satya – The Yama of Truthfulness

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Sean O’Leary

 

Satya is the practice being truthful and honest in our thought, speech and action.  On the surface this yama may seem straightforward but in reality it requires a constant observance and understanding of the changing nature of our relationships and the world.

The definition of truth is “the true or actual state of a matter” or “conformity with fact or reality”.  Interestingly if matter and reality are in constant state of fluctuation and change truth will be relative to each circumstance and situation.  So to grasp at the idea of truth or honesty our yoga must be a spiritual practice that is rooted in a constant exploration of the present.

I love the idea of a practice that doesn’t state right or wrong or a single path but gives an idea that is relative to the individual, community, culture and causation of our surroundings.  Every person has an opinion and values developed throughout life.  Satya challenges us to investigate our motives. In his book Yoga for a World out of Balance Michael Stone points out the connection between person and society

“From the time of our birth, we each respond not only in a personal sense to the precariousness of our human condition, but we are also the inheritors of delusive social institutions and shared meanings about the world.  The same basic patterns we find in our minds and bodies are also found in the structure and function of our institutions.”



I like how Michael Stone challenges the reader to consider how contemporary society can warp our worldviews and potentially corrupt us into living untruthful lives.   The social and economic pressures of modern life make us think that success, financial gain and consumerism is equivalent to life satisfaction but this is ultimately a lie.  At our deepest core we yearn for love, community and compassion.   Yoga practice, meditation, pranayama, and asana all bring us closer to our true needs rather than our conditioned desires.  The yama satya prompts us to investigate our desires and how we can live aligned with our highest truth.

What does living honestly mean to you?

Feb28

The Practice of Ahimsa (Non-Viloence)

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The Practice of Ahimsa (Non-Viloence)

Sean O’Leary

The first limb of the eight-fold path of Astanga Yoga is Yama or ethical discipline.  The Yamas provides us with a framework that considers how choices and actions impact our lives.  The first Yama is Ahimsa or non-violence/non harming.  Ahimsa is a universal concept that requires us to live peacefully and intend no harm through word, thought, or deed.   Often Yoga and related spiritual practices are methods that focus on enlightenment where the separation of the practitioner from their surrounding world could be seen as an achievement.  Opposing the notion of total separation, what if enlightenment is to wake up to the interconnectedness of life and live skillfully in the world.  The mind can distract us from the realities of our actions but only through practice can we place a greater importance on discerning the effects of our decisions.  Only then can we live a fully engaged life.

As we practice yoga we learn to settle the elaborations of the mind and eliminate distraction. With these distractions aside we are then able to accurately identify connections and interrelations in our lives. We are not separate individuals.  Decisions and actions we make affects every person, community, and environment around us.  Becoming aware of our actions and their impact is important when considering the practice of Ahimsa. When the mind is quiet we can make decisions free from the attachments, ideals, and prejudices of our thinking mind.  With the awareness we achieve through yoga practice, it becomes our responsibility to realize our actions have implications upon the planet and its inhabitants.

The scope of Ahimsa is broad and can be applied towards all aspects of our lives.  The impact of our food choices are often over looked but question the notion that most grocery stores stock foods shipped from all corners of the planet.  Whether they be bananas from Costa Rica, olives from Israel, or soya beans from China, the shipping of food takes an environmental toll.  In addition, the techniques or pesticides used to grow food, and the treatment of employees harvesting foods can manifest repercussions from choices as simple as diet.  As a separate being we enjoy the convenience, abundance, and variety of food but choose to ignore the multilayered reality.  The Yogin is conscious of the connectedness of our world and considers the karma (causality) of his or her choices.  It is easy to be distracted by modern media and want to separate ourselves from the sensational world (war, political unrest, starvation) but these realities are happening to us by extension.  We are the world.  We are not separate from the violence and injustice taking place on this planet.  Learning to react skillfully to these events without adding more hate, anger, or violence to an already awful situation is needed to dissipate the situation.  Fighting violence with violence is not a practice of Ahimsa.  Fighting fire with fire is also an important consideration while debating, or engaging in any conflict.  Identifying to our ideals and preaching our beliefs could be taken to be a form of violence in itself.  Expression of our ideas and opinions is important, but it must be done in a tactful and reflective way as to not offend or hurt.  We must contemplate the impact of our lives during a time when the earth is unprecedentedly sick.  If we become conscious of decisions and actions that deplete the worlds natural commons and resources, we can make practical choices that will heal our planet. Driving cars, using electricity, and carelessly consuming have negative effects.  A consciously moderate lifestyle will assist in making the world more capable to support the abundance of our planet.

One can be overwhelmed by the practice of Ahimsa especially when engaging controversial and contentious topics such as vegetarianism, veganism, fossil fuel consumption, abortion, gay rights, religion, and spirituality.  There is no book written that explains how live perfectly. We are obliged to make choices relative to the circumstances in our life. In his book Yoga for a World Out of Balance, author Michael Stone reiterates this point, “Nor can any theory claim to be a universal canopy of the different norms and values across cultures, because doing good is always relative”.  As practitioners or yoga it is our duty to constantly consider the practice of Ahimsa and reflect on our relationship with the world and always strive to live a fully engaged life.

I encourage everyone to share their ideas, comments, and experiences on this topic.

I’ll end with a quote from Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar:

“Violence is bound to decline when men learn to base their faith upon reality and investigation rather that upon ignorance and supposition”