I should mention here that there are actually 10 yamas and 10 niyamas but for whatever reason most books only mention 5 of each. I'm doing the same since I don't really know what the others are and can't really speak to them. I'll do a little research and then post them another time for your consideration.
Today we begin the niyamas: "personal disciplines" - Day#6 of the Yoga Sutra challenge.
"Sauca -- Cleanliness. Not only external cleanliness of the body, but attending to internal cleanliness such as avoiding the impurities of anger and egoism. Moderation in diet"
External cleanliness of the body goes without saying. Do we really need a sacred text to tell us that?? I hope not. Avoiding the impurities of anger and egoism.... Now THERE is a challenge. Honestly, I don't know how to avoid anger because I feel like it's not something I can control. It controls me. I can't figure out the difference between avoiding and suppressing. I guess it's my ego that tells me that I should not let go of anger. (I know that I will eventually have to let go of anger!!) But I'm holding on so tight. I know this, yet I can't figure out how to let go. The ego tells me letting go of the anger means that my feelings don't matter. That doesn't make any sense and yet - I can't let go.
I know that anger manifests in the physical body as tension and heat. Maybe addressing the manifestation of anger in the body will help to release the mental and emotional anger. I don't know..... it's worth a try. Perhaps we should spend a few extra days focusing on Sauca. I know I need to.
I could use some advice with this one. What do you do when you feel angry? How to do release the anger?
It's funny that today we're talking about anger since this morning I woke up and headed to my corner for sadhana (spiritual practice) only to find that it is once again, occupied by 2 sleeping children. This did make me angry. Instead of using that as an excuse not to practice, I'll take my practice outside to the back deck. It's a cool, beautiful morning. The coolness maybe will help with the heat of anger.
Oh.... let me just say one thing about moderation of diet. Pay attention to how you feel in your body after you eat. Notice the difference after you eat something healthy like a juicy, sweet peach. Then notice how you feel after you something like, french fries. Just observe. The simple act of observing how you feel AFTER you eat will help you make better choices about WHAT you eat. Believe me it works... try it.
Om Namah Shivaya! Om Namah Shivaya! Om Namah Shivaya!
Om Namah Shivaya! Om Namah Shivaya! Om Namah Shivaya!
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My teacher, Ed
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Anger usually has a thought attached to it, seems to me. And usually it's in response to a perceived transgression. With your anger, you are punishing the other party, whipping them, beating them. It's violence, mostly self-inflicted that induces a hormonal/chemical reaction in the body and it ain't good don't think. And the other party could be yourself, too. I think most folks with anger tend to do both, be vigilant for transgression, on their part and others. So I guess you 'release' it by observing, like we do our thoughts, watch it play itself out. That's the theory anyways, my two cents.
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