I find avirati, the 6th obstacle of spiritual practice from the Yoga Sutras, a bit uncomfortable to talk about. Why? Because we (including myself) have become very attached to being comfortable – wanting what we like and avoiding what we don’t. Seeking pleasure and over-indulging. Our consumer-based society is founded on this over-indulgence (Buy! Spend! Eat! Consume!). It’s humbling to have to take a look at it.
Rather than going through life worrying about winning or losing, we can experience more inner peace and receive more Divine blessings through opening to Grace and practicing Non-Attachment.
This post, on Aalasya (laziness), is the fifth of a 9-part series on the obstacles (antarayas) to spiritual practice, from verse 1:30 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras:
Autumn is a time of change and slowing down. As we move into this season, let it teach you about the gifts of transitions.We’ve just passed one of the four cardinal points of the year – pivotal points that transition from one energy to another. The Autumn Equinox is one of those great shifts, where we move from the outward energy of summer and the longer daylight, to the inward energy of fall and the lengthening nighttime. This is a potent time to explore all transitions.
When we get caught up in the belief that we can become perfect – and the distress that causes – we can remember these two principles from yoga philosophy, let go, and relax a bit.Everyone makes mistakes. We all know this, but perfectionism, righteousness, and expectations often cloud our memory. We tend to come down hard on ourselves (or others) for the things we say, do, or think. Our previous ideals of who we are run smack into the wall of realization that we’ve blown it.
In North America, we think of thankfulness in November. But the harvest season begins in August and goes all through the fall. Right now is the season of gratitude.The end of summer and early autumn begins the flurry of reaping the earth’s bounty before the cold weather arrives. From August on, the grain harvests begin. These were highly celebrated for millennia, particularly by the Europeans whose very survival through the bitter winter depended on a successful stock of the late summer-autumn grains.
Deciding whether to venture onto an unfamiliar trail was difficult and brought up fear – but choosing, rather than deciding, got me through to the river. It was a hot day in Nevada City, where I was staying with a friend for a few days. I had the afternoon free and wanted to explore the Yuba River, so I decided to head out on my own to find a shady refuge by the water.
I hoped to find a quiet place on the river to do Sit Spot. But when I arrived and ambled around the main access path down to the water, it was clear there was little shade, and no peace and quiet. In these temperatures, everyone was swimming and partying at the river.
Which meant that if I were to find a more peaceful spot, I’d have to set off on a trail.
