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Beyond the physical exercise of yoga, you will uncover a wealth of practical wisdom that can be applied in daily life to enrich our lives by simplifying and bringing clarity and peace.
We have what we call yama and niyama in yoga. Essentially, think of these as a roadmap to a better life. The great thing is that you actually need to do less, not more. For this reason, I am delighted to share with you ways to tidy up your home through yoga.
I know you may be wondering, how? The physical activity of yoga is related to your home and its clutter? If you look closely, there is an inherent connection between the inner and outer space. Ancient yogis discovered ways to live in which we not only simplify our lives and needs but, more importantly, elevate our spiritual well-being. Everything we do under the guidance of yoga fundamentally aims to take us higher on the path of ascension.
Exploring Key Concepts in Yoga: Asteya & Aparigraha
Principle of Non-Stealing
Even while focusing on our yoga mat, we often find ourselves desiring the yoga abilities of others. (Source: Internet)
The principle of non-stealing is known as Asteya. How often do you find yourself in a public place or scrolling through social media, seeing something belonging to others and wishing you had it too? Whether it's a new car, a big house, a luxurious vacation, a leaner body, a perfect relationship, and so on, it happens to all of us. Even as we concentrate on our yoga mat, we still often find ourselves coveting the yoga abilities of others. The essence of human nature is to look at what's lacking in oneself and assume that others have more, are better, etc. Ancient meditators didn't address the act of physical theft; they addressed our minds and how we seek things not belonging to us within our minds.
How to Practice Non-Stealing?
Replace negative emotions like insecurity or envy with more positive ones. (Source: Internet)
The first step is consciously recognizing when your mind starts craving something not belonging to you. Instead of immediately feeling envy, feel joy for them. Replace negative emotions like insecurity or envy with more positive ones. Strive to feel genuinely happy for their success, appreciating that there is enough abundance for everyone and acknowledging the hard work they put in to succeed. This will train your brain to see things from a new, positive perspective rather than getting stuck in a negative loop. The most crucial step is to acknowledge and express gratitude for what you have, both material and immaterial.
Principle of Non-Hoarding
In yogic philosophy, this is known as Aparigraha, literally meaning resolving the urge to hoard and possess material wealth. Ancient meditators lived with very few possessions, viewing material wealth as an impediment to spiritual progress. While this may not be practical for us in modern life, we can certainly use it as a guiding principle to simplify our daily lives. Today, with the convenience of social media and online shopping, we are bombarded with the urge to accumulate more and more material possessions.
We must understand that life exists only in the present moment. (Source: Internet)
What Patanjali is showing us is that when we have an abundance of material wealth, we fear someone will take it away. Then we have to worry about maintaining and paying for it. This robs us of our present moment and forces us to live in the past or fear for the future. We must understand that life exists only in the present moment. Let's explore some practical ways to transition to a non-hoarding lifestyle.
Questions to ask ourselves...
Steps to Embrace Non-Hoarding
In today's world, this is one of the most elusive and tightly held concepts as social media and daily life encourage an increasingly materialistic mindset. I hope these simple steps provide you with a great starting point or at least encourage you to consider whether this is something worth contemplating. Comment below the steps you've taken to simplify your home!
Posted by: Nguyen Nghia
Keywords: Simplify Your Home with Yoga
