How can we effectively use the eight limbs of Patanjali's yoga in order to see changes we want in our lives? The changes I'm referring to are being happier, more content with our physical life experience and more fulfilled and connected in our relationships with others.
A good starting point is the practice of asana. Asana is the sanskrit word for seat and means to assume the physical postures of yoga with your body on a regular basis. Although asana is the third limb, it can be the beginning of everything, the beginning of steadiness, ease and lightness in the body and mind. Hatha yoga is based on the principal that changes in consciousness can be brought about by setting in motion currents of subtler forces and thereby contacting deeper levels of consciousness. The poses themselves trigger the endocrine glands to release certain chemicals which bring about a feeling of remarkable well-being which helps one discover discover the joy of kindness to others. The asanas should be done with regularity to release discomforts of the body and mind. When these discomforts ease up, then we are able to focus more purely on the first limb, yama, and the second limb, niyama.
The first limb, yamas, are:
ahimsa - non harm to others in thought, word, deed.
satya - truthfulness to others
asteya - non-stealing
brahmacarya - not abusing others sexually
aparigrahah - greedlessness.
The yamas all deal with our actions toward others and realizing that our actions toward others create karma. This means treating others well will bring well-being to us in the physical world and in our emotional world. This is the key to happiness!!!
The second limb, niyamas, are:
saucha - cleanliness in body and mind
santosa - contentment
tapah - hard work over a period of time
swadhayaya - the study of our self
ishvara pranidhana - devotion to a power greater than us.
The niyamas are like vows we take toward our enlightenment. Keep your mind as well as your physical body clean, be content in your circumstances, take your practice seriously everyday, study your reactions to things, and offer up all of your efforts to service of God in the form of other beings.
These are the first three limbs of Patanjali's eight limb practice of yoga. They are a good beginning point because they are all physical and we can see measurable results in our daily lives. We can witness the fruits of our good actions and see where we need to make improvements. If you need to make improvements in a certain area of yuor life experience, it's best to find someone who is accomplishing what you would like to experience in a graceful way and use them as an example. Refer to them mentally throughout the day and send them blessings. Focus on their artful handling of difficult events with ease and mental clarity, bring them to mind before reacting to different challenges in yuor physical experience, then become like your hero, acting with grace, clarity, and compassion. Become who you aspire to become by having greater reactions to yuor personal challenges. This is an effective use of yoga in our lives.
1 comment:
This is a way of life.
Post a Comment