Our Perceived Sense of Separateness

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering our perceived sense of separateness.

The wine of life is oozing drop by drop,
The leaves of life are falling one by one.

-Omar Khayyam

Like leaves, we come into this life, are here for a few days, and then are gone. Nobody remembers us, and nobody misses us.

As long as we believe that we are separate, we inevitably have to die. Our immortality is in the whole, which never dies. In living just for personal profit and pleasure, no matter under what philosophical name we may call it, our real personality withers away. It cannot be otherwise.

When you become aware that you are not a leaf but the tree, something amazing happens in your life: you are able to act spontaneously, almost effortlessly, for the good of all.

This is the proof of your awareness that you are the tree: everywhere it will motivate you, everywhere you will see what contribution you can make. You won't have to deliberate the pros and cons. You won't need a computer to provide you with a plan of action. You will know instinctively, intuitively, the needs of those around you. What's more, it will seem natural to change even long-established habits, to drop something that before would have given you pleasure, if it means the tree may flourish.

Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran

The homework is to reflect on how your Yoga practices can help you cultivate awareness of the needs of those around you and your community. And consider the concept that the consistent, dedicated and long-term practice of Yoga can help us eliminate the perceived sense of separateness.

Blessings,

paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com

Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003