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Shishin Junsei Benn Meyers
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03 Jul 21:35
Non Violence for the Earth by Clayton Horton
by Clayton Horton
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are compiled of 196 aphorisms with the intention of guiding the aspirant towards self realization and to bring about an ending of one’s own personal suffering. Traditionally, the sutras are chanted, defined and explained by a guru or teacher, then discussed as to how the sutra relates to the present moment. The last stage in this process of transmission and learning is for the student to take these jewels of eternal wisdom home with them and integrate them into their personal lives. This eternal wisdom of the Yoga Sutras, specifically the Yamas and Niyamas, can often be intelligently applied to political, economic, social and environmental situations to guide us towards truth and harmony.
Ahimsa, non-violence, the first of the Yamas (self-restraints) is one of the central ideas of Patanjalim Yoga. Sutra 2:35 explains Ahimsa: ahimsa pratisthayam tatsamnidhau vairatyagah. Defined, ahimsa: non-hurting action, pratisthayam: on being firmly established, tatsannidhau: in the vicinity of, vaira: hostility, tyagah: abandonment. An explanation of this sutra is, in the vicinity of one who is firmly established in non-violence, there is feeling of peacefulness and an abandonment of hostility.
Today, with the rapid influx of Earth calamities and weather changes, even the most conservative and uninformed politicians are admitting that human beings are causing considerable harm and damage to planet Earth. Environmentally, this consciousness of ahimsa or non-hurting action can be applied to lessen the destructive impact that human beings on our planet. As more and more of us become firmly established in Earth friendly practices, philosophies, and patterns of consumption, others will be inspired to act, think and buy goods and services with more environmental awareness and sensitivity. The most accessible way to inspire such change and to lead by example is for you yourself to recycle, consume less toxic products, move towards an organic plant based diet, reduce waste, use less of our natural resources, and invest in alternative forms of energy. No need to “preach to the choir,” most seasoned yoga practitioners are green by nature. The key is to be the change that you want to see in the world and to show the way for others who are not really on the path yet.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says to Arjuna, “Those are very dear and close to me who see the divine in all of creation.” Later Krishna says, “One has reached the highest state of spiritual union who experiences the joys and sorrows of others as if they were their own. With consistent and diligent practice, such consciousness and sensitivity is possible. Seeing the divine in all and being aware of the joys and sorrows of others as if they were your own, it becomes unthinkable to leave a heavy footprint on the Mother Earth, participate in greed, abuse human and animal rights and subscribe to the ideology of the enemy.
Ahimsa, non-violence, the first of the Yamas (self-restraints) is one of the central ideas of Patanjalim Yoga. Sutra 2:35 explains Ahimsa: ahimsa pratisthayam tatsamnidhau vairatyagah. Defined, ahimsa: non-hurting action, pratisthayam: on being firmly established, tatsannidhau: in the vicinity of, vaira: hostility, tyagah: abandonment. An explanation of this sutra is, in the vicinity of one who is firmly established in non-violence, there is feeling of peacefulness and an abandonment of hostility.
Today, with the rapid influx of Earth calamities and weather changes, even the most conservative and uninformed politicians are admitting that human beings are causing considerable harm and damage to planet Earth. Environmentally, this consciousness of ahimsa or non-hurting action can be applied to lessen the destructive impact that human beings on our planet. As more and more of us become firmly established in Earth friendly practices, philosophies, and patterns of consumption, others will be inspired to act, think and buy goods and services with more environmental awareness and sensitivity. The most accessible way to inspire such change and to lead by example is for you yourself to recycle, consume less toxic products, move towards an organic plant based diet, reduce waste, use less of our natural resources, and invest in alternative forms of energy. No need to “preach to the choir,” most seasoned yoga practitioners are green by nature. The key is to be the change that you want to see in the world and to show the way for others who are not really on the path yet.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says to Arjuna, “Those are very dear and close to me who see the divine in all of creation.” Later Krishna says, “One has reached the highest state of spiritual union who experiences the joys and sorrows of others as if they were their own. With consistent and diligent practice, such consciousness and sensitivity is possible. Seeing the divine in all and being aware of the joys and sorrows of others as if they were your own, it becomes unthinkable to leave a heavy footprint on the Mother Earth, participate in greed, abuse human and animal rights and subscribe to the ideology of the enemy.
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