I am an omnivorous, shoe loving Yogi. Please let me be :)

To all my meat eating, shoe crazy Yogis/Yoga Teachers in the universe – “I’m with you, and I love you”. To the rest, “I respect our differences and I love you”. Being a yogi means many things, but in essence, Yoga is a journey of the self, for the self and with the self. It is the ability to still the fluctuations of the mind, resulting in union of mind, body and soul. It is an inward journey. Each of us is unique, and it is pertinent to do what is right for us, to find balance in this moment. There are many perceptions about what a Yogi is, and what a Yogi should and should not do. Can we just observe, stop judging and let it be?  One of my dearest yoga teachers often used to say “If it is not right, it is left”.

There are eight limbs in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Yamas (moral code/social contract) and Niyamas (observances/recommended habits) are the first two of the eight limbs. There are 5 Yamas and 5 Niyamas. I will touch upon 2 Yamas, and 1 Niyama, and how they relate to who I am right now, and also how we can apply it in more general terms.

Ahimsa, the first of the 5 Yamas, means Non Violence. This includes Non Violence in thought, word, and action. At first glance, eating meat, sounds like a violation of Ahimsa, as it causes harm to animals on the planet. However, Ahimsa also includes ‘doing no harm’ to your body. I am an O+ blood type, a hunter gather, and my ideal diet consists of lots of vegetables, fruits, chicken , fish , and simple carbohydrates in the form of rice, and gluten in small quantities. I have experienced different diets, and this is what works best for my body right now. Ahimsa also includes non violence in the form of ‘no judgment’ towards ourselves and others. So it is important to embrace who we are in this moment, while we continue to deepen our understanding of mind and body.

Aparigraha, the last of the 5 Yamas, means Non Possessiveness. This relates to letting go of what we do not need, and possessing just what is truly necessary in our lives. So, do I really need so many shoes? No. But I love shoes! Does a new pair of shoes make me happy? No. I believe that happiness can only be found within. However I am an artist, and admire beautifully handcrafted shoes. At this point, I try to give away one pair of shoes to charity or let go of a worn out pair before buying another pair.  This is where I am with respect to this Yama in my Yoga Journey.

Svadhyaya, the fourth Niyama, means Self Study. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra states “Study thy self, discover the divine”. The ‘true’ or ‘divine’ within us can be accessed through the contemplation of life’s lessons. We can practice this by observing and being keenly aware of how we speak, react, move, and more, in this moment. Self study can also involve the study of Vedic texts including the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavat Gita and even online texts or articles that deepen our knowledge and understanding.

So, we can see how Svdhyaya self study is critical to our practice of Ahimsa and Aparigraha. We are all on a unique journey of self discovery.
We can practice Ahimsa by being as judgment free as possible in this moment.
We can practice Aparigraha by letting go, to the best of our ability, in this moment.
We can embrace ourselves in this moment.

Let it be, let it go and let it flow !

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