I wasn't raised with so much religious tradition or trappings, and for a long time I felt like I was missing something. I think that religion gives folks something to hold on to, something to pass along and something to connect over; all of which is so important to us humans. Over time I came to study and live a more spiritual lifestyle and it is truly my own belief that living in this wholesome loving way allows me to connect and grow in my own life.
I have recently begun reading a blog about living with intention and decided I would like to try to do at least one blog a month about this topic. I thought I would start with the basic ethical framework of yoga, which is likely something that anyone with a spiritual or religious practice will recognize as a familiar concept with a different name.
The Yamas and Niyamas are the first two limbs of an eightfold path of Patanjali's yoga that outline a way of ethical living, and allow us to take hold of our life and make choices that lead us to greater fulfillment. I am only going to touch on the first Yama today, Ahimsa, which is about nonviolence. One way to look at this is by starting with how I can practice Ahimsa on the yoga mat, which for me is a small way for which to practice and observe things I want to take into the larger world with me. On the mat I can practice non violence by not judging myself or my abilities, or perhaps not pushing myself to a point that is in fact not my growing edge but rather the edge of injury. In addition, if I notice this happening what is my own reaction to it? Am I then going to judge myself harshly for judging myself harshly, or can I notice it, recognize the harmful nature of the thoughts, let it go and move on?
Off the mat this plays out in a similar way, I can try to notice my own judgment of myself, and others and step back from this place to a world of greater understanding. Ahimsa certainly means more literally that I will not be involved in any bullying, or murderous rages, but it also means that I will try to watch what I say to people, and what implications my words as well as actions may carry.
Finally, as I think about this I am also brought back to the issue for me in my life of eating meat. After 8 or so years of strict vegetarianism I have strayed to become what I once heard called and "opportunivore." This is something I continue to struggle with in my own mind, with guilt that I have trouble identifying as either neurotic or healthy (I am sure a good existentialist would say it is neither one or the other but both....hmmmm).
In short one way I will be attending to my goal of living this life with intention this month will be to practice Ahimsa, wanna join me?
The Samarya Center For Integrated Movement Therapy and Ashtanga Yoga
