Sutra Shower: Clear our lens and be free from all suffering

One of my friends (A mental health therapist) told me recently that I am honest and transparent but what is in my mind is not straightforward when we are talking about some situations in life. It takes a while for me to digest this because I always thought that I was a straightforward person, who normally just expressed what was in my mind without holding on to anything. Then I realized, it might be true that I expressed what I felt transparently without thinking clearly and straightforwardly addressing the situation because I have not fully accepted the unpredictable or uncontrollable incidents. Or, I was just too eager to change the situation according to my expectations.

This reminds me of all the Yoga Sutra teachings that I have learned during my Yoga Teacher Training, where our teacher told us about the power of daily 'Sutra Shower'. We can clear our lens to better understand the situation through yoga practice. As I understand, yoga practice is not just physical body posture and movement through asana but involves our mind and breath regulation as well, and the Yoga Sutras is a guide or handbook for all Yogis.

"The Yoga Sutras, widely regarded as the authoritative text on yoga, is a collection of aphorisms outlining the eight limbs of yoga. These “threads” (as sutra translates from Sanskrit) of wisdom offer guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life." yogajournal.com

The Eight Limbs of Yoga by Yogapedia

There are many versions of the Sutra translations from its original Sanskrit, but particularly in Chapter 1.2, "Yogas-citta-vrtti-nirodhah", we understand generally 'Yoga is the progressive settling of a chattering mind'. I also love how my Yoga Sutra Teacher, Kate Holcombe explains this by clearing our lens and being free from all suffering. According to the Yoga Sutras, there are Eight Limbs of Yoga, and the standard 'body exercise' that emphasizes body posture is asana practice, which is one of the Eight Limbs.

The entry point is through the practice of Yama, the five basic principles of our behaviors towards others, and Niyama, the five disciplines of self-observance. In 2019, I kickstarted a charity project, 'ANANTALUV' where 'Ananta' means 'endless' or 'limitless' in Sanskrit. The project name represents endless love and our mission is to promote positive thinking and happiness through the sharing of Yoga Sutras. Initially, we planned a Yoga Retreat in Siem Reap, Cambodia that included a voluntary cultural sharing experience at the Cambodian Children's House of Peace but the retreat was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak and global lockdown. We shifted our focus to social media content sharing, and all the content was created and managed by our Summer Project Intern, Joanna Bobeva who plays the role of the Social Media Manager.

There are some wonderful archives that I would like to share in this space:

What is Ahimsa - The first principle of Yama?

Ahimsa can be interpreted as not harming ourselves or others. Most commonly this is thought of in terms of physical harm, but it is equally important to think of it as mental harm. Negative thoughts have an impact on your well-being, and it is important to recognize them so you can calm your mind and find peace.

How can we apply Ahimsa in life?

Sometimes we can be at a loss with where to start when trying to make a change. Here are some examples of how you can use Ahimsa in your daily life:

1. IN DIET - Whilst abstaining from eating animals follows Ahimsa's guidelines, it is important to have a balance. If you need meat in your diet, try eating vegetarian meals twice or three times a week! If you already do this, consider where you are buying your food and produce. Is it environmentally friendly, or fair trade? It is not always easy to do this, but making a conscious effort is what is most important, even if you can't always achieve it.

2. IN BODY - At times we don't realize when we are pushing our body too hard and causing physical harm until it is too late. Listen to your body and know your limits. Let go of expectations of what you "should" be able to do, and focus on what you can do. Challenge yourself without pushing your boundaries to the point of harm.

What is Satya - The second principle of Yama?

Whilst it is translated as truthfulness, Satya involves a lot more than just 'not lying'! It guides us to speak, act, and think with integrity, and therefore seeing and communicating things as they are - not as how we want to see them. This can be difficult, especially when so much of our life is a subjective experience! The truth we live in one day, might not be the same as the next. Satya encourages us to experience the truth of the present moment so we can be honest with ourselves and those around us.

How does Satya work with Ahimsa in life?

At times, the Yama can come into conflict with each other. This is particularly true of Ahimsa and Satya, as the truth is sometimes the very thing that will hurt people. There is no 'right' way to go about this kind of situation - the Yama's are a toolbox, not a rulebook. In such a situation where the truth can be harmful, we must think carefully before we proceed. As long as we are acting with Ahimsa, without the intention to hurt, we should be honest and open with both ourselves and those around us.

What is Asteya - The third principle of Yama?

Whilst Asteya is translated as "non-stealing", most of us do not steal tangible things. But when we dig deeper, we find we are thieves of non-tangible things, such as time. Whether it be ours, or someone else, it is easy to waste time, and then feel a sense of despair when we do not achieve what we want because of time restraints. This leads to unnecessary unhappiness and negative thoughts. Make a note of all the moments when you are rushing.

How to practice Asteya in everyday life?

Here are a few thoughts on how all of us can practice Asteya — non-stealing of others’ time — through our work, our daily communication (including emails), and our everyday lives:

1. Show up on time! Whilst it is not always our fault when we are late, in some cases our lack of punctuality could have been avoided.

2. Communicate with intention. Gather your thoughts before you start speaking or emailing and be direct. Sometimes the simplest way is the best way to say something.

3. Think before you reach out to someone for help. Can the answer you’re seeking easily be Googled? Do you need assistance? Strive to be self-reliant and answer your questions whenever possible. Doing your research can often be faster than waiting for someone else to reply!

What is Brahmacharya - The fourth principle of Yama?

Brahmacharya focuses on directing our energy into the right places - away from external desires and inward towards finding happiness and peace within ourselves. Think about where most of your energy is currently directed - is it towards achieving your goals? Or is it towards trying to impress yourself as someone you're not to appease others? Take a moment to consider where your energy is going. How much of it is directed towards fleeting pleasures, rather than on the focus of creating happiness within yourself?

What is Aparigraha - The fifth principle of Yama?

This important Yama focuses on the importance of keeping only what serves us in the moment and letting go of what we don't need. For some, this may be letting go of old clothes that you don't wear, or removing some of the clutter from your home. More deeply, this guides us to let go of feelings we no longer need, such as resentment and anger. A bad relationship may have left you unconfident and unhappy within yourself. What intent do these negative feelings serve? Are they helping you in the moment, or pushing you down? With positive experiences, do we cling to them, even in light of something that may be wrong?

Aparigraha offers freedom to feel and to live truly. Have a clear out of your home - take away the stuff you don't use/need. A de-cluttered home leads to a de-cluttered mind!

How does Brahmacharya work with Aparigraha in life?

The relationship between Brahmacharya and Aparigraha is intertwined. Some refer to it as the in and the out; how you respond externally and how you receive internally. An example of this is an argument with a friend or loved one - are you using your energy correctly? Is this argument over something petty, and as such, just a waste of energy and time for the both of you? Sometimes, the answer is no, but often we find when we think about it, that the quarrels we have with those close to us serve no purpose, and are just an outburst of emotions.

Similarly, do you hold on to the negative feelings after an argument? Do you hold and grudge and create tension? We often get carried away with our emotions and cause unhappiness not only for others but for ourselves. Is there any reason to hold on to resentment?

How does Ahimsa work with Aparigraha in life?

Aparigraha is about 'not grasping' or 'letting go' of what you don't need. It is being content with what you have, and feeling as though you have enough and are enough within yourself. This links closely with the Yama of Ahimsa, as often when we do not let go, we end up hurting ourselves or others. Whether it be not letting go of a bad relationship, or brooding over the past, we find ourselves stealing away the joy from the present moment, which leads us to cause pain for ourselves.

Both Aparigraha and Ahimsa go hand in hand, as when we let go of what we don't need, we stop hurting ourselves with the negativity it brings.

A simple 10-question explains how the practice of Yoga applies to our everyday living, where a constant practice will help us in our body and mind healing process, and set us free from all suffering whether it is mental or physical. As I always said, I am not perfect, and still learning. Sharing is the best way to help each other to move forward and I hope you gain something from this article.

NOTE: Archive from the ANANTALUV Project in a flipbook viewing manner on the issuu.com platform

Feel free to leave your thoughts through a comment or drop me a private message.

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May all living beings in this Universe be free and happy! OM, SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 🩵 💜 🩷

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References:

Chopra. 2019. Yoga Sutras 101: Everything you need to know

Emma Newlyn, Ekhart Yoga

Yogapedia, 2019. The Eight Limbs of Yoga

Yogapedia, 2018. The Yoga Sutras

Yoga Journal, 2021. Intro to Yoga Philosophy: Sutra School 1.2

Yoga International. Yoga Sutra 1.2