Peace

In the yogic path ahimsa, nonviolence, is the foundation and core of yogic practice. It’s not as easy as it appears. After observation, what is revealed is that ‘our ability to be nonviolent to others is directly related to our ability to be nonviolent with ourselves’. Examples are all around us in our words, thoughts, small ‘insignificant’ actions, frustration and irritation.

Going deeper, we discover that it is fear that drives us to violence; not the healthy fears that keep us alive, but the fears that ‘keep us from living’. Our fears abound in ‘cowardly faces that turn away, in violent attacks, in walls of protection, in bins of possessions, in numerous unkind words and gestures’.
And thus we need to find our courage. Ram, Ram, Ram. Courage implies that we are afraid but that fear doesn’t paralyze us and we proceed anyway. Find the courage to face the unknown without cowering behind locked doors and false relationships. If the violence starts within us we can not hide from ourselves, we can not run nor hide. All those locks and ‘protection’ keeps you imprisoned inside. Facing the fear with courage is to face yourself, your own internal threat to peace.

Simply, when we take care of ourselves, when we are happy and our needs are met, we can find more space for compassion, patience and all the ingredients necessary for a courageous and non-violent existence. Stop waging the war inside.

Namaste.

peace, peace, peace

Quotes provided by Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas