So,
We are in a very interesting time in the world history and American history especially.
We have an election tomorrow and even though results might not be in tomorrow,
They might be in.
The country has been very polarized about this,
Whether it's social media,
The news,
Everything you know and there's questions about whether we're going to have riots,
Whether we're going to have a peaceful transition if that's necessary or what is going on.
We have coronavirus and dealing with shutdowns and openings and is it spiking and is that it's a very crazy time.
What disheartens me is when I see people not able to have a differing opinion without adding violence to that,
Adding anger to that.
When we look at what yoga,
What we do in yoga,
My simplistic real-world definition of physical yoga is we put our bodies into different stressful positions and we figure out how to relax in that,
How to release tension.
Now let's apply that outside of the asanas.
What would happen if,
You know,
First zero stress,
Everyone always agrees with you.
Hey,
You're great,
Hey that,
You know,
Zero stress.
Now all of a sudden people start disagreeing but they do it in a nice way.
Hey,
I'm not sure I agree with that,
What do you think about this?
Okay,
A little more stress because now I have to defend maybe my thing or explain it.
But what happens then,
More stress.
Now we're into warrior three,
More balance,
Strength,
This.
Someone goes,
You're an idiot,
That's a stupid way to think.
You know,
Now all of a sudden most people would feel defensive,
Attacked.
How can we keep our peace of mind under that circumstance?
Some of it has to do with not just your breathing but we can use techniques like,
Okay,
Make sure I'm breathing deeply.
But we also have to start looking at others with compassion.
First principle of yoga,
Non-harm,
Ahimsa.
So if we actually look at people with compassion and say,
Hey,
They're on their journey and I don't want to add hurt to that.
Then we start going like,
Am I really hurt?
Can I take some of this stress without reacting,
Without freaking out?
You know,
And now all of a sudden we're preventing our own selves from being harmed but we're also preventing from spilling that harm onto others.
If everyone took their own time to have their practice of whether it's connecting to their peace,
Being in nature,
Doing some yoga,
Meditating,
Religion,
Whatever connected you to togetherness and something bigger than just your emotional needs at the moment.
What would the world be like?
You know,
It's a danger thinking we're going to find saviors,
Whether it's in religion or in presidents that are going to save us because really we have to do the consciousness work ourselves.
You know,
And so the question to ask is what work are you doing?
Have you gotten comfortable where you are?
Are you still working to see whenever you get in an argument discussion,
Lose your cool.
Do you solely blame the other as being the jerk or do you look at how did I contribute?
Why was it upsetting to me?
How can I keep my peace of mind?
In yoga we talk about focusing on the breath.
Okay,
Make sure you're breathing when you're touching and that takes you away from this is killer.
I'm not going to make it.
It gives you something to focus on.
So what if your focus was on connection and staying true to yourself while staying calm?
How would that affect how we interact with everyone in the world and what would this place look like?
I would love to see that,
You know,
But it requires homework and most people don't want to do homework.
Namaste.
Namaste.
Namaste.
