What an unusual time we are living in right now! With so much information swirling around the planet concerning Coronavirus (Covid-19), it is difficult to know just what to believe. If you find yourself living behind a screen of illusion just trying to keep up to date with what's happening, you are definitely not alone. So what is the truth?
Never before have we experienced such a flurry of oversharing online, which is in itself creating a pandemic of fear and confusion. We are all being inundated with so much misinformation, images, stories and theories, this quiet time of staying home and social distancing is beginning to feel very crowded.
And then there is Yoga...
Yoga has always been about keeping things real, both on and off the mat. Through our practice we are continually reminded to come back to the present moment, to observe the dance between body and mind, and the interplay between what is actually happening (what is real), and what is simply a story or an opinion generated by the questioning intellect and ego. In other words, asking 'what is my truth right now?'
Yoga is, and always has been, a practice accessible to everyone.
To make things a little easier to understand, around 2500 years ago ancient Indian sages compiled a systematic guide to approaching life, a 'How To' manual which is known as The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The thread of the teachings are still relevant even today, covering many topics which help us to learn how to live a peaceful life.
The question of how to best untie the knots of tension accumulated simply by living a human existence, is still one of the greatest mysteries of all.
Perhaps this is why Yoga has become such a popular practice, and way of approaching life, especially right now.
What is Satya?
The first two of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga ( aka steps towards enlightenment ), known as the Yamas & Niyamas, represent a series of "right living" or moral and ethical codes of practice for everyday living. Stuff our parents taught us. Doing the right things for the right reasons. The second of the Yamas, Satya, is the Sanskrit word for truth. It implies much more than simply telling the truth, or not lying, but living and moving through life from a place of authenticity. Listening to the truth of what is deep in our heart, and honouring this through our speech, thoughts, actions and interactions. When we live our life from this place of integrity it brings greater peace and happiness.
Satya asks us to say ‘yes’ when we mean yes, and ‘no’ when something isn’t in alignment with what we are truly feeling.
Right now we have been gifted an unprecedented opportunity to slow down, to come home to stillness within, and get to know our True inner self. This virus is asking us to reassess everything about how we live our life, whether we like it or not. We can choose to be swept away with the tide of fear and panic, or perhaps if you currently find yourself with a lot more space in the calendar (like we do), consider scheduling in a bit of extra time during the day for nourishing practices such as Yoga and Meditation. Perhaps they will help you to find some answers.
Exploring different ways of tuning into stillness, Do-ing nothing, and simply Be-ing in the moment will all help to ease us through this time of uncertainty.
On and off the yoga mat, we can explore Satya by listening to our body’s cues and moving and adjusting according to that true wisdom. We become aware of the close relationship between what’s in our mind, and how our body/breath is responding, and learn to adjust accordingly. Getting to know this metaphysical connection might prompt us to take a different approach to some of life's challenges. Pausing before responding, not reacting out of emotion, or perhaps knowing when we are needing to step up in order to transcend some of those ‘limitations’ by nudging the edge of our comfort zone, to name a few.
Simply put, just slow down and listen. Your body and breath will always tell the truth.
Understanding that every thought or emotion will land somewhere in the physical body, is an important aspect of working with Satya.
Have you ever felt fear manifest as a tightness or constriction in the chest, anger as a fire in the belly, sadness as a heaviness in the heart, or lost your voice because of an inability to speak your truth? Are you beginning to get the picture?
This awareness of Satya empowers us to move with integrity, not only on the mat, but also as we move off and practice yoga in our daily life. Slowing down, living more simply, taking care of ourselves with nourishing practices, noticing how we interact with others, and especially cultivating a deeper respect for nature, are all things we need to be focusing on right now. It's a time of coming home to the simple truth. That is our reality - Satya.
Our wish is that we all listen in to what is truly needed in order to live a more authentic and peaceful existence together. May we transition through to the other side of this world crisis with new learning, ease and grace.
If you would like to learn more about our current offerings of Yoga, Mindfulness, Breathwork and Meditation, then please connect by message or subscribe to our mailing list.
Our new online series, 'Coming Home' is beginning this week.
You can join via Zoom:
Wednesdays from 3-4.30pm - Meditation & Sharing Circle
Fridays from 7.30-9am - Mindful Yoga & Breathwork.
Sending lots of love, light and peace from our quiet home in nature,
Danielle & Tony ( Frankie & Georgie) xx
#sundarisimplelife #sundariwellbeing #satya #liveyourtruth
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