The Yoga Sutras

We made it through to another self study Saturday.

Today we looked at the Yoga Sutras. Specifically the Yamas and the Niyamas. They teach us “right living”. They show us how to live morally. The first Yama, Ahisma, teaches non violence. It teaches us to heal ourselves first.

There is a big lesson in the first Yama, Ahisma. Most of us grew up knowing we shouldn’t harm others. I think we often forget we are part of that equation. Sometimes I think we beat up ourselves more than we would ever target anyone else. The negative talk we project on ourselves puts us in a space where we go from good, to bad, to worse. We talk ourselves into believing we aren’t enough. We should consider that as harming our “self”. During this Challenge, we are learning to heal those wounds.

The Niyamas, are constructive tools that teach us self confidence and how to be happy in the moment. Santasha, the second Niyama, means contentment or joy. Here we study, to learn that we can be content with any situation. We can we find peace in the turmoil.

No matter where we are in our life we can learn to find joy in the little things.

In the video above, Brice asks us to sit quietly outside. She asks us to observe the temperature. It’s cold where I live. Or is it? The mind tells us it’s cold outside because it is protecting our bodies, keeping us from freezing to death. But if we step back and observe the feeling without prejudice, we can
notice the sensation in our body without judgment. As I sit in the cold frosty air, observing my breath as the condensation escapes from my lips, I still say it’s cold. Without prejudice, of course.

This reminds me of our shadow work. We are working through pain during our workout. we are observing the pain, objectively. Asking our bodies to tell us where the pain is coming from. What lesson do we have to learn through the pain? It still hurts, but if we look at the pain objectively, we discern healing in working through it.

While this Shadow Work Challenge is almost at it’ end, the work will continue. It will be a life-long process that only ends with death or moving to a new reality (or dimension). The lessons are unending. So, as my day closes, I record these things in my journal, and turn out the lights.

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