I start my Yoga Teacher Certification classes in a few weeks, and I've been obsessed with reading the required and recommended books listed on the class syllabus. I'm also getting ahead by writing papers to meet one of the certification requirements. Three of the books I've read have to do with the Eight Limbs of Yoga, so I'm getting to know each of the limbs pretty well. The first book, "Eight Limbs of Yoga" by Stuart Ray Sarbacker, was a great introduction. The second book I read, "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" by Alistair Shearer, was a little more abstract and harder to grasp, but I pushed through and got a lot out of it. One of the many books I am currently reading is "The Yamas and Niyamas" by Deborah Adele. This book focuses on the first two limbs (yama and niyama) and describes each of their parts in great detail. Needless to say, I've been obsessed with this book because it is opening my mind to the Eastern way of living and thinking. What an eye-opening experience it has been!
As I've been learning about each limb, I've also been journaling my thoughts and how I can apply these practices to my daily life. Being OCD, I started with ahimsa, the first part of the first limb. However, today I decided to break the rules and read about the last part of niyama: ishavara pranidhana (surrender). I found this "branch" to be most applicable to my life right now, and I wanted to share what I am learning:
Surrender is the idea of transforming everything we do into an act of devotion. We can and should devote our time/energy/whatever we have to a higher power, a person, humankind, etc. We do this not for our own gain, but for the gain of those around us, thus, surrendering putting ourselves first and realizing that we are only a small portion of the larger picture in life. We grow as beings most when we do this. Life isn't about getting what we want and throwing a tantrum if we don't get our way. It sounds silly and obvious, but it happens everyday for many and multiples times a day for some. Adele writes, "just think about how many times you tell yourself you had a 'bad day' because it didn't go the way you had planned" (pg. 165). I don't know about you, but I am so guilty of this! Often times, we are our own enemy, getting in the way of living a life of true harmony and peace.
Shavasana (corpse pose) is the ultimate posture of surrender. It is "easy" in the sense that you just lay on your back with your body relaxed. However, it is said to be one of the most challenging poses to yogis because it requires us to withdraw our senses, clear our minds and meditate/devote ourselves to something without getting distracted by the world around us. Some yogis do this for hours, although most people can only do it for a few minutes, if that. Corpse pose as it is called is also practice for our last surrender, death. Its purpose is for us to "learn the meaning of letting go of all the ways we physically and mentally fight with life" (pg. 167).
"But I don't have 15 minutes, let alone an hour" is usually what people say. What is it that is so important that we are afraid to stop and do one of the many things our body requires for life: breathe. I promise you, the dishes will still be there...but are they more important than the health of your mind, body and heart?
I'm known to be somewhat of a slob (which I need to work on because niyama does call for cleanliness on the physical and mental level), but honestly--I don't think that on my dying bed I will ever say the words "I wish I would've had a cleaner house and done more laundry." I'm going to say, "I wish I would've learned what was most important in life sooner: loving others and loving myself." I'm trying to live so that I won't have to say those words on my death bed. I'm trying to surrender myself to finding peace and loving others now.
What is it that we are so afraid of missing by pausing? I'm learning that there are two types of fear: survival (which we almost truly never encounter) and make-believe. We're living in a society that makes us fear there is not enough time to do all the things we need to do. It is not true; we are wasting our time on all the things we think we should do. (Side note: I deleted facebook from my phone because I thought it was interfering with my ability to pause and breathe during down time...best idea ever!)
With that, please take a few moments today to "pause, breathe, love" and surrender (you don't even have to "yoga," hence the name of the blog). I promise you won't regret it!
Until next time! Namaste.
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