Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Moving from a Selfish State to a Selfless State


Greetings Sadhakas,

This week in class we will be exploring moving from a selfish state to a selfless state.

Love is swift, sincere, pious, joyful, generous, strong, patient, faithful, prudent, long-suffering, courageous, and never seeking her own; for wheresoever we seek our own, there we fall from love.
                                              – Thomas a Kempis

Our English word love has become almost impossible to use. We say he's "falling in love" as if it were something that could happen every day, like falling into a manhole. Is it so easy to fall in love?

Listen to our popular songs; look at our magazines and newspapers. When they say, "I love you," that's not what I hear; I hear "I love me." If we could listen in on a marriage proposal with the ears of Thomas a Kempis, this is what we would hear. The man gets down on bended knee and says, "Sibyl, dear, I love me; will you marry me?"

There is a little undertone of this in almost all relationships. This is how we have all been conditioned, to put ourselves first at least part of the time. Most relationships begin with some passionate "I love you's" and some undertones of "I love me." But if we want our relationship to blossom, we'll gradually change the focus from me, me, me to you, you, you. Then our selfish passion is transformed into pure love.

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

The homework is to notice it the next time you experience pain, jealousy, or a selfish feeling in relationship.  What should our response be when this comes up?  If attaining nonattachment can take a lifetime of work, what is that work?  How can our Yoga practice inform this process?

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

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