Cultivating Aparigraha
Aparigraha is the 5th Yama of the Yoga Sutras and it means “non-hoarding.” When cultivating Aparigraha, one is not necessarily expected to renounce anything, but rather, one is asked to take a look inward and see where one might be clinging onto something, whether it be a material object, another person, an idea about a person, or even one’s own identity. When we hoard or try to covet something, we tend to squeeze the life out of it and all we end up with is grasping, which turns into attachment, and then we suffer because we become afraid of losing that thing. In fact, it is that fear of losing that drives us into grasping in the first place, and if we do not catch it in time, we end up addicted to the cycle.
While practicing today, see if you can think of one idea that you have about your practice that you might be attached to. It could be anything, that you are not as flexible as so and so, or that you are more flexible than so and so, or that a pose should be practiced in only one way, etc., and then put the intention of not identifying with or clinging to that one thing, and then of course draw in a breath. See if you can feel the subtle energetic nature behind the feeling of clinging, and rather than letting IT go, see if IT will let go of you as you continue to observe your breath.
Practice:
10 rounds Surya Namaskar (any variation)
Garudasana (Eagle Pose): 10 breaths on each side
Vinyasa to the floor
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose): 10-15 breaths
Draw knees into chest, and then draw your nose to your knees for a forward fold: 10 breaths
Reclining Spinal Twist: 10 breaths each side
Shavasana: 5 minutes
Seated meditation practice: 15 minutes, observing the breath. Notice the space in between the exhalation and your next inhalation.
In my own life, I notice how easy it is to get caught up in attaining certain things and you lose sight of what is really going on. Most importantly you lose sight of your ability to feel whole, to feel the divine within every moment, and thus spend your time grasping, or resisting, or feeling fragmented and scared. I try to first look at this when it is happening, and see it as something sacred, not to be ashamed of or resisted. And then start connecting to my breath, feel the energy behind grasping, and in taking a deeper look inside, I start to connect to my true nature, which has everything it needs and also can give everything to those parts of me that forget they are already home.
