Parivartan – Time to Change

Swami Prembhava Saraswati

LIVE YOGA

Life is what you live through the mind. Lifestyle is the expression of the quality of your mind.

Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

Here are some moments of yoga which you can incorporate into your daily life. Keep in mind that regularity over a long time is the key to change within and around you.

  1. Wake early and try to see the rising sun. Make it a habit to connect to the natural rhythm of the sunrise and let it become part of your daily routine.
  2. In the morning, chant the Sama Veda Shanti Mantra, visualizing peace within and around you. You may do it alone or with other members of the family.

    Om dyauh shaantirantarikshagvam shaantih prithvee shaantiraapah shaantiroshadhayah shaantih vanaspatayah shaan-tirvishvedevaah shaantirbrahma shaantih sarvagvam shaantih shaantireva shaantih saa maa shaantiredhi.
    Shaantih shaantih sushaantirbhavatu sakalaarishtasushaantir-bhavatu sarve grahaah sushaantirbhavatu.
    Om shaantih shaantih shaantih.

    May there be peace in the heavens (celestial plane), peace in the sky (astral plane), peace on earth (physical plane), peace on water, peace among herbs, plants and trees, peace among the ten cardinal points of the planet, peace upon Brahma, peace everywhere, peace upon me, peace and peace alone. May there be peace and auspiciousness, may all the misfortunes and tribulations be pacified, may all the planets be pacified.

  3. Practise asana for 15 minutes to keep your body and mind healthy, so you can offer your life in service of others, the planet and our future.
    You may simply do a few rounds of surya namaskara; or practise a yoga capsule of tadasana, tiryak tadasana and kati chakrasana, surya namaskara, vipareeta karani asana and eka pada pranamasana; or you may practise every day pawanmuktasana part 1 or 2. It is not the amount of practices that will benefit you, but your regularity and awareness.
  4. Become aware of your natural breath as often as possible during the day, and take five deep breaths or more.
    Use the connection to your breath to improve the quality of your respiration and to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the world around you.
  5. ‘Do I really need or want this’ – keep this awareness constantly alive throughout the day for all areas of your life: material, social, mental and emotional.
    (Do I really need 30 pairs of shoes? Do I really want 30 pairs of shoes? Do I really need to check my Facebook and Twitter account every five minutes? Do I really want to check my Facebook and Twitter account every five minutes? Do I really need these negative thoughts? Do I really want these negative thoughts? Do I really need this jealousy, sadness, or anger? Do I really want this jealousy, sadness, or anger?)

There may not be time left; it may be too late for us to save our natural resources, but we can do our little bit. Be brave enough to live differently, and walk alone if you have to. Encourage others to live a life in the spirit of yoga ecology with respect for all of creation. Do it now! Live yoga with pride.

When you start incorporating yogic principles in your life, then yoga becomes part of your lifestyle. It is reflected in your behaviour and interactions. This disciplined, positive and awakened individual helps himself as well as others: family, society, nation and world.

Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

Published in Parivartan – Time to Change