Happy the man whose lot it is to know
The secrets of the earth.
He hastens not
To work his fellows hurt by unjust deeds,
But with rapt admiration contemplates
Immortal Nature's ageless harmony,
And how and when the order came to be. -
-Euripides (480-405 B.C.)
The secrets of the earth.
He hastens not
To work his fellows hurt by unjust deeds,
But with rapt admiration contemplates
Immortal Nature's ageless harmony,
And how and when the order came to be. -
-Euripides (480-405 B.C.)
I am blessed to be in a yoga workshop for a consecutive weekend. This time the teacher is Aadil Palkhivala. The first time I attended one of his workshops, I had been attending weekly yoga classes for just a few months. Everything he said then, absorbed me. Nearly eighteen years later, his talks still absorb me.
Aadil pointed out that "one salient point of an intermediate yoga student is a constant awareness of the impact their presence has on the environment." The environment includes other beings as well as the earth.
"All their thoughts, words and actions are of value, or at least of care," Aadil continued. He gave us an example of the way we leave our shoes or sandals at the door of the yoga studio. While their placement may not be of utmost value, we should care for the safety and ease of those who come after us. Will they be inconvenienced or in danger because of our presence?
While the end result (constant awareness of our impact on the environment) beckons us toward an ideal, it is the intention of our actions that Aadil underscored. It is not about the tons of plastic bottles that you recycle or the barrels of oil you save with your hybrid car. It's about "the stuff that you do when no one is watching."
This practice embodies the true concept of saucha. "The most common translation of saucha is cleanliness. But saucha, at its root, is concerned with keeping different energies distinct. Saucha ensures and protects the sanctity of the energy around us." (1)
Aadil's brilliance as a teacher is that he is able to teach multiple levels of truth couched within each lesson. Like a set of Russian nesting dolls, each lesson contains another, and another, and another. How could I not be absorbed?
Experience Aadil as he speaks about Diversity and Choice of yoga styles in this video by Yogamates.com.
Aadil pointed out that "one salient point of an intermediate yoga student is a constant awareness of the impact their presence has on the environment." The environment includes other beings as well as the earth.
"All their thoughts, words and actions are of value, or at least of care," Aadil continued. He gave us an example of the way we leave our shoes or sandals at the door of the yoga studio. While their placement may not be of utmost value, we should care for the safety and ease of those who come after us. Will they be inconvenienced or in danger because of our presence?
While the end result (constant awareness of our impact on the environment) beckons us toward an ideal, it is the intention of our actions that Aadil underscored. It is not about the tons of plastic bottles that you recycle or the barrels of oil you save with your hybrid car. It's about "the stuff that you do when no one is watching."
This practice embodies the true concept of saucha. "The most common translation of saucha is cleanliness. But saucha, at its root, is concerned with keeping different energies distinct. Saucha ensures and protects the sanctity of the energy around us." (1)
Aadil's brilliance as a teacher is that he is able to teach multiple levels of truth couched within each lesson. Like a set of Russian nesting dolls, each lesson contains another, and another, and another. How could I not be absorbed?
Experience Aadil as he speaks about Diversity and Choice of yoga styles in this video by Yogamates.com.
Photo:R J Ranjith
(1) Excerpt from Teaching the Niyamas in Asana Class by Aadil Palkhivala. Yoga Mentor, an on-line newsletter for teachers.