Yamas

Did you know that Yoga is not just showing up to a class and putting your body into poses while breathing deeply? Seriously, I kid you not! Yoga is actually a philosophy and there are eight "limbs" of yoga. What most westerners typically view as yoga is only one of the limbs... the Asanas.

The first limb, the Yamas provide ethical guidance as to how one should live in and interact with the world external to the self, similar to some of the Ten Commandments. There are two yamas in particular that I seem to run up against most frequently: Ahimsa and Aparigraha. Ahimsa means non-violence, but it doesn't just mean "thou shalt not kill." It also refers to doing harm to oneself. As a Type-A, competitive individual, I'm constantly seeking improvement and perfection. Uh huh... EGO. Just because I'm a yoga practitioner and teacher doesn't mean for a second that I don't struggle with my ego and inner judge. Actually, I talk about these two things so much in my classes not because I'm lecturing my students, but because I'm sharing my journey. I have to keep reminding myself over and over to listen to my body and not do it harm by letting ego slip in. Your ego will get you hurt in yoga. It's also a good idea not to go around killing things, which is where vegetarianism comes into play with Yoga. Non-harming means we shouldn't be killing and eating animals. I'm still working on the latter in my diet, but it's tough to honor ahimsa when it comes to mosquito's, rats and cockroaches.

The second yama that constantly makes itself known to me is Aparigraha, or non-coveting, non-grasping or non-attachment. This hit me HARD yesterday when I left my "binky" (aka, iPhone) in my friend's car after lunch. ARGHHHHH!!! I freaked... a little. Then I started thinking about the temporary advantages of NOT having the precious object with me -- for several hours I wasn't a slave to checking personal email and Facebook. I love my stuff, family, friends, dog, house and my jobs (both Dell and yoga teaching), among other things. I'm completely guilty of aparigraha-fouls, but being aware and moving in the right direction is part of the the Practice of Yoga. Having connections to stuff or people isn't bad, but we need to be cognizant of the nature of the attachment by asking ourselves whether or not it's a healthy relationship.

In the past year, unemployment has risen due to mass layoffs. Being laid off it rocks our first and third chakras to the core. But perhaps that relationship wasn't healthy. Some folks stay in a job for the wrong reasons and never experience passion in their work. It's really tough to admit you're not happy and make the necessary changes. Perhaps being forced to make tough changes lead to better situation for the soul. By consciously practicing aparigraha, one can look for the lesson in the experience and be open to what lies behind Door #2 or #3 which may very well be bigger "prizes" in the game of Life (think in terms of the soul, not money).

I did finally recover my cell phone from my friend and actually enjoyed the opportunity to be reminded that being detached for a little while wasn't so tragic. Next week, I'm off to Panama for work and will leave my cell phone at home. :)

Thoughts?

Namaste, y'all!