Jun 092017
 

Often we talk about karma in the world of yoga. It is more than just what we understand as what comes around goes around.

Karma relates to the deeds – good or bad – that you do, have done, will do as well as those of your ancestors going back to the beginning of the existence of your soul. If you believe in God as a Christian or any other formal popular religion then this is a bit new age. However, it can be somewhat related to how as humans we continue to pay for the sins of Adam and Eve even though it was at the start of the world as we know it.

In the spiritual realm, karma relates to our souls that get reborn into new bodies. In some spiritualities these souls can be reborn into animal bodies; however, in most cases with yoga we talk about it in human forms.

I am sure there is a proper scientific study out there somewhere on this to explain why some people seem more “mature” than others or the person who is “wise beyond their years”, etc. Within the philosophy of yoga, we talk about that in terms of our karmic cycle.

While I am still working out the depths of my belief in this philosophy, I do believe that I am an old soul. Whether it is to justify to myself the early life that I have had or to give some sort of comfortable explanation to life, I do believe that I am the end of whatever karmic cycle my soul had started years ago.

In some ways I look at my adoption as a way of breaking away from the family cycle that may have been or still continues. I consider my lack of desire for children as another way of finishing the cycle. I feel that surviving my negative life experiences as a child was a way for my soul to work through the negative karma and to bring forth a positive end to the soul within me – allowing me to share love and compassion to others in my older years instead of growing old and bitter towards life as so many do and will.

Whether or not one believes in karma or these spiritual aspects does not matter. What matters most is how we cope with the life we were given and what sort of action are we taking day by day to improve ourselves to create a world of peace, love, calm and serenity for ourselves and those around us. Each person in our lives whether it is for a brief moment or a lifetime is affected by our words, our actions, our emotions, and even our breath. My wish is that the effect I have on others brings us a step closer to contentment and not towards chaos.

What effect are you having on those around you?

~T 😀

 

Jun 082017
 

3.9 Nirodha parinama is that state of transformation of mind where it is permeated by the moment of suppression which appears and disappears between incoming and outgoing samskaras. (vyutthana nirodhah samskara abhibhava pradurbhavau nirodhah ksana chitta anvayah nirodhah-parinamah) ~Sage Patanjali

It is fitting that on the last weekend of my 200hr Teacher Training that I spend some time reflecting on the journey of yoga that I have taken since November 2015. Nineteen months of almost non-stop learning, studying and growing in the world of yoga. My life has completely changed since I made a spontaneous decision to respond to a newsletter….

They key words in this sutra are:

  • nirodhah =  control, regulation, setting aside of
  • samskara = subtle impressions, imprints in the unconscious, deepest habits

For me, I think of the washing out of the footprints in the sand as waves push new sand on top of the imprint made before yet still remaining for a period of time. Each new step taken makes a new print/impression and it is the space between each step where our minds can be changed.

In most interpretations this sutra is about changing habits and forming new ones. If you read books on habit formation or transformation, this makes more sense. It is hard to break a habit as our minds have created grooves in the brain and neural connections between stimulus and reaction (habit). To break this connection, there has to be a new groove made and re-routing of the connections to relate certain stimulus to a new reaction. On the outside, this sounds simple enough. However, if you have ever tried to change your habits, develop a new personality trait or redefine who you are to others, then you know this is no easy task at all.

Still, it is possible. The phrase that anything is possible if you set your mind to it is more true than we realize!

~T 😀

Jun 252016
 

tma

_The Thoughts of Marcus Aurelius_ by Marcus Aurelius

Over three years ago I referred to my having read _Meditations_ by Marcus Aurelius many years back. When I came across this book a few years ago, I thought I would give it a read since I enjoyed his first philosophies so much. However, it really took me more than a year to complete this one.

I am not sure why it took me so long as his Stoic philosophies were not much different and his wisdoms are still wise. Probably, it is a reflection on my state of mind more than anything else. When I read Meditations, I needed to anchor myself into a way of thinking to stay sane. Now that I have found the art of meditation and yoga, I am less absorbent of these wise words. I should not be so, but I think perhaps this is why it took me so long to complete it.

When I did sit down to push through the last few chapters, I wondered why I had not been reading it…. So, yes, state of mind is important to consider when taking on classical philosophies. He was indeed an amazing man and he might go on my list of people I would like to meet someday in the after life. 🙂

~T 😀

Mar 282013
 

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's…

_A New Earth:  Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose_ by Eckhart Tolle

Some friends of ours had been talking about this book and how it helped them to change their perspectives on dealing with people and most especially within themselves. Apparently, Tolle is more famous for his _The Power of Now_ book, but our friends seemed more moved by this one. Since I always love a good recommended read, I decided to give it a try. Besides, it’s another Oprah’s Book Club recommendation, so how can you go wrong? 😉

This book reminded me a great deal of Marcus Aurelius’ _Meditations_, which I read whilst being miserable in Japan a number of years back. Aurelius’ work changed my view of living in Japan and made me more peaceful. Tolle’s work has not quite had the same effect as I felt it was rather ‘commercialized’ if that makes any sense. Rather than it being a strong philosophy, it’s more like a guide book.

Despite this, I definitely am glad that I read it as it has helped put some perspective on how I have been feeling lately towards people. One really poignant point Tolle makes is the idea of the things that make us the most angry in others is probably what we struggle with the most in ourselves. So if I get impatient with people not being totally polite or their attitude towards me, perhaps I should look at my own politeness and attitude towards others.

Another aspect I did enjoy was that he incorporated a variety of religions and beliefs into a common area of what I prefer to call ‘humanity’ or ‘spirituality’. I have always believed that the variation of religions are stem from one spiritual source and like most things with humans we simply are so stubborn in thinking our way of believing is the only way, thus causing religions to form and those whom we can convince to think like us become the followers. Yet, most core beliefs of most religions stem from the same place and share a common desire of spiritual peace. One wonders why we can’t just focus on that….

Anyway, I did enjoy the read and it gave me more than a few bits to chew on, so that’s a successful book to me. Now that it’s about to be spring break, I’m looking forward to some less brain-taxing books and then, of course, I must focus on the academic works… 😛

That catches me up for now on the books!

More to come,

-T 😀

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