Post date: Sep 24, 2013 8:52:54 PM
“Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues”-Baha’u’llah
I do believe without truthfulness, other virtues cannot stand strong. So when I think of Asteya (non-stealing), I go back to Satya (truthfulness). When you are true to yourself and others, you wouldn’t want to even think about taking something that doesn’t belong to you whether it is a thing, an idea, or names.
Then I try to apply these to my yoga practice.
Yoga is not a competitive sport. At least for me, it is more for an individual discipline. I encourage my class to go into themselves rather than looking around and compare with others. I know why people do this because I have been there as well. I thought I was doing my best. It is not a bad thing to do your best you know. But deep down in me it was not only that, it was my ego wanted to come out of me. It wanted to be recognized by a teacher and other classmates that I was better than the rest of them. I think the desire of being recognized more than you actually deserve is also opposite of Asteya. Then I pushed more than my body could take. I wasn’t truthful to myself. And pop! My hamstrings! It took me for months to heal them. (The price of being not truthful ;) And the other side, I also believe not only going over the limit but not doing what you can is not truthful. If your capacity can take a gallon but you settle down only a half gallon it is not true to yourself either.
It is hard to find this fine line.
Each time when I open my mat, I try to get to know my body and mind and align them not only each other but also with a higher energy. Then hopefully one day I can have better understanding on it.