Increasingly common is the word anxiety in younger people. Traditionally one would say What? Why? But in the design of today’s way of being it’s not hard to recognize what is feeding this anxiety perpetually.
Roots of anxiety often lie within the mind, which in itself is a complex of personal database. A database made up of beliefs, conditioning & ignorance. 3 out of 8 limbs of yoga address this field right at the root and give habits to practice, discipline to maintain, all geared to minimize the tricky games of mind. We mostly see yoga as postural movement & to an extent curious mechanics of Pranayama. 3 untalked limbs of yoga at the foundation of mental health are Yama, Niyama, & Pratyahara.
Traditionally Yama is understood as practice towards other, and niyama as discipline within. But when we see deeper, it’s all working at the foundation of being a well individual. While Pratyahara is cutting back on sensory onslaught, Yama comprises of truth, non violence, non stealing, non hoarding, abstinence.
Often, word and the meaning we hold around them, limit us from going deeper. If we take simply “truth”, its not just about the lies given to others, but also my own truthful conversations with myself in my mind. It challenges what beliefs I hold for myself…isn’t that a pivotal point of self?
Non-violence plays as much within as it does with the nearest around us. The very attitude towards self & closest & far. Non stealing is deeper than material, it may be opportunities, time, emotional investment. Non hoarding demands to recognize how much is enough for me. Abstinence is not limited to the common belief but furthers into recognizing what supports my wellness & choosing to stay away from what drains my ability to recognize the boundaries.
So how about shining that light within the alleys of this beautiful yet dangerous mind, beyond postural perfection or mechanics of breathing!
Happy Yoga!
Viniyogsurabhi | Individualized Yoga Practice