Parinama

    Words should be judiciously spoken. Otherwise, the words will hurt till the end of life more so than actions.   (Lightness in) udana vayu   (throat, chest) makes one levitate. It uplifts. Those who have complete control of udana can walk over water. BKS Iyengar, Core of the Yoga Sutras (III.25)   The words we speak matter in the world.   We remember people by how their words make us feel. Speaking with kindness is no small matter.   It takes a masterful spiritual practice to speak with words that cultivate peace rather than sow pain. The knee jerk reaction when someone has harmed us is to harm back with harsh words.   But with practice, self-reflection, and humility we little by little begin to learn how this does not take away the pain caused by another’s words or actions.   It pulls us into the chaos of ignorant actions without offering a balm to our broken hearts which comes from the inner wellspring of comp...

    The state of Being remains in the tamasik (dull) nature. This tamasik state of Being needs to be nudged towards the rajasik (engaged) state in order to change the tamasik Being into lakasana (becoming). This requires cultivating and refining all the vestments of the Self. BKS Iyengar, Core of the Yoga Sutras   There is a great pull in life towards the known.   Every day we follow rhythms, tendencies, and routes that are familiar because it takes less mental, physical, and psychological effort.   Doing something different goes against the grain.   And yet, without change we stagnate physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually.   We will never know what we are capable of unless we challenge ourselves.     The goal of spiritual transformation is to live with more openness, compassion, and courage.   To live with more of these qualities and less of those which imprison us in jealousy, anger, and shame, requires great ef...