This morning I took a long walk to the beach, taking my yoga off the mat (maybe over did the mat practice a bit this week)🤣😂. I decided to listen to the news for only 2 miles and allow myself the gift of meditation and joy on the walk back on the beach. I know, it sounds crazy to have to regiment something like a walk, but I have been struggling with both hating listening to the news and also feeling uninformed if I don't. After listening to all I could take, I made my way down the beach on the return. It was low tide, and I was marveling at how much sand there was; I was also thinking about how due to less dumping at sea (a good thing), I almost never find beach glass anymore. As I thought this, I looked down, and all by itself on the packed sand, was a piece of BLUE beach glass (my favorite and especially hard to find). The glass is the color of a t shirt of my dad’s that I had saved for many years but finally recently donated. That color particularly highlighted his blue eyes and I remember him in it (or likely many of them all the same color that he probably bought in bulk at Job Lot).
I have been thinking about the serendipitous find all day and it has made me happy. I am not overly superstitious, but I have always believed in the mystical aspect of seemingly random events. The blue glass incident got me thinking about other random events that happen to me and how I often attribute them to a higher power or spirit of a loved one. For example, when I see a cardinal randomly as I am thinking about my dad, I think it may be his spirit; when I was thinking of my grandmother recently and opened a cook book (not one of hers) a handwritten recipe of hers fell out; when I am super late to something and a perfect parking spot opens up, I figure someone or something is looking out for me. Regularly I think about someone that I haven’t spoken to in ages, and then they call or text. I may exclaim “how random”, but I don’t think it always is.
Today got me wondering how others describe this feeling or belief and I stumbled on the term synchronicity coined by Carl Jung. He had an interest in coincidences, especially those that were surprising and could not be explained by science. The term refers to the idea that meaningful coincidences between events can occur without a clear cause. So whether my experiences are labeled synchronicity or spiritualism, I believe in mystical happenstance and karma; today was made special by that piece of glass.
As we open ourselves up to the joy that can be found by seemingly random events, it does not matter if there is an unseen force or spirit directing it or it is truly coincidence. If we can just appreciate these little kernels or moments, we find ourselves really living in the present, appreciating what we have; as we focused on brahmacharya last week, finding contentment and joy right where we are.
The Eight Limbs Continued - The Fifth and Last Yama - Aparigraha (Non Coveting)
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We began the year starting to revisit the eight limbs of yoga. The past weeks have been focused on the first limb, the Yamas, which are five rules or guidelines of moral conduct. We have reached the final one, Aparigraha. Recall that the eight limbs are originally written as guidelines for achieving a “pure state” of yoga or as a road map for ethical, socially aware, and moral behavior.
The fifth and final Yama is Aparigraha-non possessiveness/non coveting. Aparigraha teaches us to only take what we need and let go of what we don't; to moderate our attachments to people, things, experiences, and expectations. In doing so it may help us to examine assumptions and help us to build healthy relationships.
In past discussions, I have contemplated the paring down of possessions, the donating of our “excess” time by volunteering as well as the gifting of money that can be used to help those less fortunate. Rather than accumulating possessions, practicing Aparigraha suggests that we spread wealth and abundance to all. Some of the more subtle ways to practice this could be by using our extra time to spend with an elderly neighbor or to pray for a friend. Perhaps that scarf you love that your friend admires could be given to them?
On our mats during yoga, we practice this Yama when we focus on our individual practice, not comparing ourselves to others, coveting the way they practice. I have come to learn that, like yoga practice, if I focus my attention less outwardly and more inwardly it helps me feel less covetous of what others have whether it be possessions, relationships or just a beautiful looking wheel pose.
To sum the Yamas up, I am reminded of the book by Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Both are excellent road maps of personal behavior with solid suggestions for being the best person we can be. The yamas, help guide us to practice “all-encompassing yoga” which nurtures our inner quest for enlightenment or completeness - living our yoga off the mat!
For those of you curious to remember the kindergarten rules, here is a link!
Meditating on Aparigraha
When discussing Aparigraha, a key quote to remember is from the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna says: "Let your concern be with action alone, and never with the fruits of action. Do not let the results of your action be your motive, and do not be attached to inaction.".
This essentially means focusing on the present act rather than being attached to the outcome, which aligns perfectly with the concept of non-attachment central to Aparigraha.
"It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly." - Henry David Thoreau
Our Practice - Practicing Aparigraha On The Mat (As Well As Off) – Tree Pose
When we talk about practicing Aparigraha off the mat we talk about focusing inward, not coveting others’ practice. Most of us practice this way, my days of looking around a class (as a student) and comparing myself are long gone. I relish my time on the mat and focus solely on my personal practice. I recently took a yoga class and found myself looking around at the end and thinking, wow, where did all these people come from!? I have heard of yoga classes conducted blindfolded to cultivate this Yama; I think this is an unnecessary and possibly dangerous idea! What we can try this week is trying a pose or two with our eyes shut, cultivating that inward look and feeling our practice in our own bodies more precisely.
Let's practice tree pose with joy, appreciating everyone’s practice, like the trees in the forest, our poses are all different.
Tree pose helps strengthen our core and legs and stretches our groin and opens our hips. Building a balance is important especially as we age; balance, along with a strong core, will help keep us active and healthy for a long time!
Start in mountain pose (tadasana), hands at heart center. Check in with your alignment head to feet, and that your feet are rooted into the floor evenly through all four corners.
Begin to shift your weight into your right foot, lifting your left foot off the floor. Keep your right leg straight but don't lock the knee.
Bend your left knee and bring the sole of your left foot high onto your ankle, calf or inner right thigh. If on the ankle, you can keep your toes on the floor, hip is open to the side.
Press your foot into your leg and your leg into the thigh, engage your core, focus on your drishti (focus point that is not moving).
Take 5-10 breaths, adding your arms (branches). Remember, it is most important to maintain humor, smile and breathe.
As we move to practice Aparigraha off the mat, we can make small efforts to cultivate gratitude into our lives; we can recognize our gifts and talents, as we do this, we will realize we no longer feel the need to compare or covet.
Nurturing With Food - Banana Bread
While I do not have much of a sweet tooth, I do love banana bread. I have made this recipe over and over and for some reason, I especially think of eating it in the snowy weather. I made a loaf earlier this week and it is gone, with the snow we are having, I think I will make another!
See you on the mat!
Namaste,
Julia Anne
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