Pop wisdom
I'd like to share one of my favourite mantram which is from pop music:
"Be good to yourself
Because nobody else
Has the power to make you happy."
-- from George Michael's "Heal the Pain".
The first principle ethic in yoga (in the first limb of Ashtanga Yoga aka "Eight-limbed yoga") is the principle of Ahimsa. Ahimsa is often interpreted as "Non-violence". But it can be understood as a wider call for compassion for all living things. Most people do not go around killing others daily (in most parts of the world anyway. . .if only everyone did yoga...) but we perform more pervasive forms of violence, just as deadly, on a daily basis. Donna Farhi, an established yoga teacher from New Zealand says that "Any thought, word, or action that prevents us or someone else from growing and living freely is one that is harmful." Think about this, how many times in a day do you in small ways, think, say or do things that harms, others and yourself. "I hate this pose, why does Sau Fen always do this pose in EVERY CLASS. I hate how my abs wobble like jelly in this pose. I hate my abs. I hate my arms. I hate my legs. Stay STILL DAMN IT!!I hate my body. I hate my life. Can't do anything right!Stupid body. I hate...etc." Do we as often abuse another person as much as we abuse ourselves like this an a daily, even hourly, moment to moment basis!
Realising this, we are already on our way out of this. This is how yoga helps. This is why meditation is a very powerful tool. It is perhaps the most important thing you will ever learn. How to live in the present and be free from your random mind. We grow a moment to moment awareness of ourselves, our bodies and thoughts. We separate the compassionate thoughts from the heartless thoughts. We realise that those are just what they are: thoughts. We can decide if we want to heed such cruel speak. We break free from such free-wheeling violence in our minds and dwell in freedom always. This is what it means to be happy.
May you take care of your self happily today, may you be free.
"Be good to yourself
Because nobody else
Has the power to make you happy."
-- from George Michael's "Heal the Pain".
The first principle ethic in yoga (in the first limb of Ashtanga Yoga aka "Eight-limbed yoga") is the principle of Ahimsa. Ahimsa is often interpreted as "Non-violence". But it can be understood as a wider call for compassion for all living things. Most people do not go around killing others daily (in most parts of the world anyway. . .if only everyone did yoga...) but we perform more pervasive forms of violence, just as deadly, on a daily basis. Donna Farhi, an established yoga teacher from New Zealand says that "Any thought, word, or action that prevents us or someone else from growing and living freely is one that is harmful." Think about this, how many times in a day do you in small ways, think, say or do things that harms, others and yourself. "I hate this pose, why does Sau Fen always do this pose in EVERY CLASS. I hate how my abs wobble like jelly in this pose. I hate my abs. I hate my arms. I hate my legs. Stay STILL DAMN IT!!I hate my body. I hate my life. Can't do anything right!Stupid body. I hate...etc." Do we as often abuse another person as much as we abuse ourselves like this an a daily, even hourly, moment to moment basis!
Realising this, we are already on our way out of this. This is how yoga helps. This is why meditation is a very powerful tool. It is perhaps the most important thing you will ever learn. How to live in the present and be free from your random mind. We grow a moment to moment awareness of ourselves, our bodies and thoughts. We separate the compassionate thoughts from the heartless thoughts. We realise that those are just what they are: thoughts. We can decide if we want to heed such cruel speak. We break free from such free-wheeling violence in our minds and dwell in freedom always. This is what it means to be happy.
May you take care of your self happily today, may you be free.
