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stillpoint yoga
yoga meditation and philosophy with Lynn
Fraser |
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Off the Mat – taking yoga philosophy into daily life
Vairagya and Abhyasa Swami Rama of the Himalayas calls vairagya and abhyasa the “twin wings of the soul”. A diligent practice of non-attachment is all we need in our spiritual and daily life. Vairagya is a Sanskrit word meaning dispassion or non-attachment. It involves keen observation of thoughts and emotions and letting go instead of hanging on. It is fascinating to watch the mind go through these endless cycles of like and dislike, pleasure and pain, attraction and aversion. We soak up approval and are avoid rejection. Abhyasa means practice. Regular, consistent steady practice of observing and letting go. Observing, accepting truth, being in the moment: Our whole culture is a huge distraction from reality. We talk about wanting to ‘live in the moment’ but there is often an unspoken qualifier. We only want to be ‘in the moment’ if it’s pleasant, fun, gratifying in some way. When it’s painful, we want OUT! We grab a chocolate bar or the TV remote or a beer. When someone ‘pushes out buttons’, we attack – either directly or indirectly through cutting words behind their back. Or we avoid and sink into tamas, despair.
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Letting things be – Andrew Cohen
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