Yoga and Desire

“I create miracles in my wonderful world. I am open to the wonders of the Universe.” - author unknown

With the way the economy is affecting all our lives today, I thought it was time to write about the topic of desire and how it relates to yoga. I feel the Universe has been preparing me for this time. I am now seeing the beginning of what can be a very challenging time for many in our culture. With the dramatic increase in the cost of fuel and food, with out an equal increase in wages, many are finding the need to make major changes in their lives. For some, there may be a feeling of desperation and a need for desperate acts, like crime. As a culture, we are faced daily on television and in our daily lives with “desire”. When we see others with fancy cars, houses, clothes and the ability to spend freely, feelings may rise to “want what they have.” This is not news to many of you and you may already be managing these feelings on your own, in your own way.

Some say it is karma that influences who gets what. That we come in to this life to clear old patterns, and this can directly influence the wealth you come in with or acquire in your lifetime. That there are lessons that come with managing and having money or wealth in whatever form that takes.

Others believe in the Law of Attraction, which became popular in our culture with the release of the movie The Secret. Teachers of the “law of attraction” say that our language, our thoughts and the way we interact with others has a great influence on our ability to attract wealth, health and healthy relationships.

As I have played with my own desires for having enough (a relative term), I am often brought back to the yogic concepts of gratitude and desire.

I find that when I recognize and genuinely express gratitude for all I have, I realize how much I actually do have and become content.

I also find, over and over again, that when I completely release my desire for something, whether it be money, a job, or a relationship, that it immediately comes to me.

Yoga masters say that desire leads to misery. That if we are always in a wanting state, that we will never be happy. The mind wants and when it gets, it wants something else. You may have noticed this in your own life. As soon as you get that new car, home or wardrobe, it soon becomes boring and just another bill to pay.

In my life, I like to combine all of these practices, the Law of Attraction, gratitude and releasing desire. In fact, many teachers of the law of attraction include expressing gratitude and releasing desire as part of their formula for attracting abundance into your life.

On my own spiritual journey, I have struggled with my Leo tendency to want nice things and to manage the envy and judgments that come along with having nice things. From this process of self discovery and study of the law of attraction, I have decided that it is o.k. to accumulate wealth, as long as it occurs with a balance of sharing and humility. According to Catherine Ponder, one of the first teachers to publish these ideas in her book now called Dare to Prosper, says that the Universe has unlimited abundance and there is no limit to what one can attract.

Along with many teachings, including the practice of forgiveness, living in integrity and so on, Ponder also proclaims that in order to attract, it is essential to donate 10% of your earnings to a teacher, counselor or organization whose work inspires you. Ponder calls this “tithing” and there is a metaphysical significance to 10%. This money can also go to a cause that you believe in; however, Ponder suggests that we put all this “energy” into one cause that is the most important to us, rather than spreading contributions to many and diluting its effect. I have practiced tithing and the results are immediate. So much positive energy flowing back and forth! Give it a try and see.

Some may be asking, “how do I do that in this economy?” It is possible. Start small and build up. Once you start the flow, and practice all the other principles, abundance will begin to flow into your life and your ability to tithe will become easier and easier. If you don’t feel tithing money is possible in this moment, then donate your time instead. Your time is a valuable form of abundance that creates a karmic vacuum of positive energy in your direction.

And back to gratitude and releasing desire…more traditional yoga concepts. There are going to be times when your resources appear scarce. This may be how you are feeling as you figure out how to pay for the recent fuel and food costs increases. This is the time to drop into gratitude, to release desire, to create a “free economy”, tithing one another by sharing meals, rides, equipment and providing assistance to those in need. This is where the beauty lies. This is where the lessons lie. See the silver lining in this challenged economy.

Enjoy getting to know your neighbors and sharing what you have with friends and family. It is time for this culture to become a global culture, equalizing wealth throughout the world and learning to share again.

Sharing ultimately means communicating. In yoga, opening the heart and throat charkas for clear and loving communication is a start. In addition, enrolling in Nonviolent or Conscious Communication classes will also provide tools when you get stuck. Many of these courses are free and affordable to get started and then free groups form to continue to practice. Many of my friends have taken these trainings and our communication includes a high level of openness, honesty, understanding, love and forgiveness. I am increasingly grateful to have attracted these people into my life.

So give it a try and let me know how it goes. I will list some helpful resources below to help you get started. I am also available for yoga lifestyle counseling and personal coaching to help you to internalize these concepts in your being and daily life.

Dare to Prosper, by Catherine Ponder (this book is also available in CD format)

The Secret DVD, CD or book (basic intro to the Laws of Attraction)

Abraham Hicks channeling Law of Attraction books, DVD and CDs available online

Nonviolent Communication classes (search on line for classes near you)

Conscious Communication classes, Conscious Communication Institute, Greenfield, MA www.ccitraining.org

LaShelle Charde offers a “Connection Gem of the Week“. To sign up visit her website at www.wiseheartpdx.org

Yoga For Abundance

Poses that open the route chakra, the groin area and hips assist in allowing abundance to flow into our lives. These poses help to release old beliefs we hold around scarcity and not having enough. When we open our hips and groin, we open to trust, to releasing the past and to allowing abundance to flow into our lives.

My favorite pose to release the past is pigeon (kapotasana). When we rise and lift our hearts in pigeon we are not only releasing the past by creating a deep hip opening, but also opening the heart to living a life filled with compassion and love. Sometimes, I like to also lift an arm, gazing skyward…reaching for divine wisdom for living a life in my Truth, full of abundance and bliss.

Other favorites that deeply open the hips and groin area are deep squats and happy baby pose (ananda balasana).

Goddess pose allows us to open the route chakra, while feeling our own strength and ability to manifest with an open heart.

Summer Yoga

Summer can be a very busy time, especially in the Northeast, as we cram all we can into 3 - 4 months of warm weather. We can come to our yoga practice to recharge and renew. Meditation, restorative and gentle yoga can be very helpful this time of year to bring us back to Self…to our own personal rhythm.

Try my Gentle and Restorative audio pod casts for your home practice. Take them on vacation to maintain your yoga practice while you are traveling. Go to www.pranaheals.com to download these audio pod casts and photos of the poses.

Alternate Nostril Breathing and Three Part Breathing are also very calming pranyama for the hectic times.

The warm weather is also a time to deepen your asana practice. The body opens much easier in the heat. This is a good time to open all those tight spots…hips, hamstrings, shoulders. It is also a good time of year to deepen your back bends. Feel the love and joy come over you as you open your solar plexus and heart centers.

Enjoy your summer with ease and abundance. Notice all you have and all that comes to you that doesn’t cost money as you practice gratitude, releasing desire and the principles of attraction.

Namaste. Jai Ma!

Prana