Welcome here,
My name is Avon and this is part three of a five-part series on the Yamas.
We'll be exploring the themes of the Yamas and how they relate to each of us in our lives.
In each session there'll be an introduction,
Some reflection,
A brief meditation and affirmations on each yogic principle.
The Yoga Sutras were compiled by Sri Bhutanjali of the Buddhist teachings around 2000 years ago.
They are a complete yogic path and guidelines and framework for living a contented and realized life.
In the second book of the Sutras we find the Eight Limbs of Yoga,
The Eightfold Path of Enlightenment.
Today we'll be exploring the themes of Asteya,
Translated as non-stealing and generosity,
Firmly anchored in the generosity of all prosperity,
Sutra 2.
37.
The themes of Asteya are watching how balanced our giving and receiving,
Giving and receiving of our time and others,
Attention and resources.
One way we can explore our giving capacity is by tracking our motivations in our actions and seeing if our giving is coming from our compassionate kindness and not motivated by fear or greed.
We can cultivate our understanding of the abundant universe and the endless nourishment from source that we can receive in each and every moment in presence.
Some things and ways that we can practice our Asteya is by being generous with our patience.
We can expect little of others and much of ourselves.
We can give gifts from the heart like a hug or a smile.
You can notice any impulses to give and follow through exploring those impulses.
Notice if we're giving freely from love or motivated by fear or greed.
Selfless service is a really great way of giving unconditionally.
You could choose to volunteer for a place in your community and doing it with quiet presence and selfless service.
And today practice giving more than you take,
Giving more attention,
More time,
More kindness.
Here's some practical steps you could try within the theme of Asteya.
How can you be a better caretaker of our planet?
And how can you give more freely of yourself through your relationships?
Creating a list of the ways in which you receive from others.
You could reflect on a challenging relationship dynamic and exploring if it's the ego harboring a selfish motive.
Could you offer love and surrender instead?
So moving into a meditation,
Getting yourself comfortable whether it's sitting upright or laying down.
Taking any extra warm clothes you may need or adjusting the temperature in the room and getting yourself some props if it helps you to be more comfortable,
Maybe a cushion or a blanket and closing the eyes.
Relaxing through the shoulders and softening through the face and jaw.
Bringing your awareness into your natural breath,
Just your natural breath without any alteration.
Breathing through the nostrils if it's available for you today.
Keeping your awareness on the breath,
Guiding yourself back into the present moment in each inhale and each exhale.
Keep coming back to the breath.
Now bringing your awareness to the area of your solar plexus around the center bottom of your ribcage.
Imagining and visualizing a warm glowing bright yellow light in the area in the center of your torso.
You could imagine a yellow sun with the warming healing nourishing rays permeating throughout this area,
Allowing that whole area to warm up and soften as though melting butter under a warm sun,
Bringing energy and vitality,
Bringing nourishment,
Allowing that warm yellow healing light to spread throughout the entire torso,
Allow it to spread through the hips,
Down into the legs,
The feet,
The toes and up through the chest,
The back,
Shoulders,
Arms,
Hands and fingers.
A beautiful warm yellow light moving through the neck and face so the entire body is now enveloped with warm yellow rays of the sun,
Clearing out any stagnant energy,
Bringing vitality to the whole body and being.
Now drawing the yellow light visualization back to the solar plexus to the center of the torso and releasing that visualization and coming back to focus on your natural breath.
We're going through our asteya affirmations.
If you'd like to silently repeat to yourself after me,
There is always enough for me.
I honestly take what is rightfully mine.
My generosity creates an open door.
I receive what I need.
I balance giving and receiving in my life.
The universe supports all my material and spiritual needs.
I give first and I take second.
Taking a few deeper breaths,
Feeling into those affirmations,
Deepening the breath and preparing to move,
Wriggling the fingers and toes and then opening your eyes to a soft,
Gentle gaze and releasing from meditation.
Thank you for listening.
I will see you next time.
Go well.
