Greetings Sadhakas,
This week in class we will be exploring the second Niyama, Saucha or purity.
As an archer aims
the arrow, the wise aim their restless thoughts, hard to aim, hard to restrain.
- The Buddha
Thoughts are
things, even though we cannot hold them in our hands or see them with our eyes.
This is very different from our usual view. Usually we consider thoughts as
immaterial, so we are not aware of how a fleeting thought can affect us. If I
throw a beach ball at you, it won't hurt much; in five minutes you will have
forgotten about it. But if I say something harsh to you, you will not be able
to forget that thought; you will take it home in your mind, have nightmares
about it, and wake up oppressed the next morning. We all know from personal experience
how a harsh comment from a parent or a friend can rankle in our consciousness
for years. This is the immense power of thoughts.
Words to Live By:
Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is
to apply the second Niyama, Saucha or purity to your thought process. Saucha is keeping our bodies clean outwardly
through bathing, through the foods we eat, the exercises we do, as well as
inwardly through the thoughts we think. Think about how angry words and
thoughts affect you. What happens to your relationships when you get angry? How
do you feel when you get angry? How does your body feel? Our actions as well as
our thoughts can pollute not only the world around us but our inner world as
well.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
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