Living Threads
Revisiting yogas' ethical teachings these past few months – the Yamas and Niyamas – has felt like discovering a pile of geodes. So far we have explored Ahimsa (nonharming), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (nonstealing) and this month we’re learning about Brahmachary (nonexcess). On the surface they appear to be rather simple guidelines for how to live. Diving into these ancient teachings more deeply has provided an opportunity to marvel at what they behold. When you truly open yourself to their wisdom, they reveal a splendor and clarity much like the crystals that are found inside ordinary looking geode stones.
In her book on the Yamas and Niyamas, Deborah Adele describes this teaching beautifully.
The fourth jewel, Brahmacharya, literally means "walking with God" and invites us into an awareness of the sacredness of all of life. This guideline is a call to leave greed and excess behind and walk in this world with wonder and awe, practicing nonexcess and attending to each moment as holy.
On the surface this guideline asks us to become aware of the many ways we overindulge or overdo. Awareness is the first step in shifting our behavior and uncovering what is driving our hunger is essential. When we see life through the perspective of being separate we lose our capacity to digest and absorb our experiences. Nothing can penetrate our separation barrier and when this happens we endlessly seek something to fill the void. The practice of Brahmacharya invites us to slow down so we can savor life and feel the mystery that weaves us all together. When I did a quick search on the etymology of mystery, I found this connection: mystery-mystic-presence. Mystery is defined as something we can’t understand but can only experience. Living tethered to these qualities feels like opening a vessel of nourishment that dissolves the desire for excess. When we view life from the perspective of our interconnectedness then ALL of life's experiences feed our souls. We no longer sort likes from dislikes but we learn to cherish what arises and stay present so we can fully receive what is being offered. This way of living allows trust to be the thread that weaves our lives together, animated by love.