This article took on a life of its own as I was writing it. It has ended up being about basic suggestions to live a healthy and graceful life. I hope it's cohesive!
Thirteen years ago this month, I began my journey through kundalini yoga. It was one of the most amazing times of my life. I was in my mid-twenties without a care in the world, and in *near* perfect physical condition. I didn't have the flexibility that I wanted for my dancing, and so I innocently joined a yoga class at a community centre. I will never forget what my soon-to-be guru said, "You have no idea what you're getting yourselves into", with his famous enormous deafening belly laugh.
I was also having a great time learning how to use forums online, which really kick started my spiritual journey. I was communicating with a Muslim from Turkey, finding resources and learning about things like the Ottoman Empire. I was attracted to Islam, because it reveres Jesus without making him a deity (today I recognize Christ as being The Way to redemption). It was a wonderful time of exploration, physically, mentally (yoga was so intense, I broke major physical and mental barriers), and spiritually. I thought my teacher was Muslim, because he was wearing a turban (forgive my ignorance), and so I was hoping to learn about Islam through him. Instead he told me that his religion was formed to be a defence against radical Muslims who were attacking Hindus, which was shocking for me to learn. He had converted from his family faith, as is common in the kundalini yoga community. I then learnt all about Sikhism, and some basic Punjabi.
Most importantly, I learnt a lot about basic decent living through yoga, and it relieved me of a lot of obsessions and grudges. I felt free. One of the best things I learnt in yoga is, don't lie. If you don't want to say something, just say, "I don't feel comfortable talking about this." Feeling the need to explain ourselves is one way we get trapped into lying, but not always. Sometimes we just don't know to keep quiet when we should not speak. The need to defend oneself can, without even knowing, cause the breakdown of integrity, which is a long-term consequence to a silly little lie that seems so innocuous.
But being dishonest can corrode us, and it does so insidiously - from the inside out where we don't even see the damage until it's gone too far. White lies aren't harmless, as we would love to believe; they snowball and can leave us isolated, because we end up taking steps back in order to not get caught going back on a lie.
I haven't practiced yoga in a while, but the other night I did a set that I was given to teach the class when I was in teacher training, and it's always been my intention to master it. It's for cleansing and disease prevention and it's a good set, but a hard one. I lamented my inflexibly mixed with a few extra pounds nearly 15 years later. I pulled a neck muscle which manifested as I slept, but am glad I took the time to quickly go over it. It seems to have kicked started some discipline that I've been lacking in. One way it has helped is to not procrastinate. As Yogi Bhajan said, "When the time is on, start, and the pressure will be off."
But another thing I have come to realize is that when we avoid lying, we become disciplined as well, because we become holistic. In our integrity we are confident by default, and we have the energy to do what needs to be done. Our minds are alert to recognize that we will feel better for having done the task at hand, instead of being lazy and then apathetic (what I believe helps justify inaction).
Also, working on our daily duties involve movement, so adrenaline and endorphins are released - the "feel good" chemicals. We also have the longer-term effects of having burned some calories and loosened some joints and muscles. When I am doing what I need to be doing, whether it's washing the dishes, doing my laundry, shovelling the snow, or giving the birds fresh water, I feel so accomplished, and it sets me up to keep going so that I am less likely to fall into bad habits.
When we are living out decent lives that are meaningful to us individually, there is less need to be impressive. We come to know a peaceful life which is attractive to others: again, there is no need for validation. Practicing the discipline to not lie, to get our work done, and to be confident about our interests paves the way to a life where we have possibilities, and where everything can be put into perspective, with compassion and understanding.
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