Yoga Does Not Guarantee Inner Peace
Practicing Yoga itself does not guarantee inner peace.
In fact, you may actually be creating more imbalances in your mind and body by just practicing Yoga as a physical activity.
I understand why you may think that practicing Yoga can bring more peace in your life, because you’ve probably seen many Yoga teachers sharing their stories of how Yoga changed their lives.
And in fact, you might actually feel calmer and more peaceful right after your Yoga class.
But let me ask you…
Does everyone who practices Yoga have lasting inner peace? Do they have a peaceful mind? A peaceful life?
Or does their inner peace only last during and right after their class and then they end up going back to their usual chaotic life until their next Yoga or meditation practice?
Even if they are diligently practicing 90 minutes of Yoga a few times a week they might still be feeling stressed out and anxious on a daily basis.
I know this because that was me years ago!
So how can you find long lasting inner peace?
Well, to do this we need to look at how we are living our lives on a daily basis and that the choices we are making are aligned with our true principles & values.
Say for example you work for a big retail company, but you know that they put huge pressure on small suppliers just to maintain their margin.
On one level you like the people you work with and the fact your bank balance is always in the black at the end of the month, but you have a nagging feeling that what you are doing or who you are working for does not truly align with your principles.
Of course the physical side of Yoga is important, but if you are not living in a way that is truly aligned with your core principles then its effects will be short term and limited.
Fortunately in Vedic philosophy, there are 8 principles of right living that can help guide your daily life and the choices you make, to ensure you can start to live in a way that brings inner peace.
Today, I wanted to share the first principle, which is called the Prime Vedic Principles of Right Living
There are 7 elements within the Prime Vedic Principles of Right Living, and these are essentially the practice of right living for a harmonious and peaceful life.
1. Live in harmony with your Dosha – Vata, Pitta and Kapha, your Ayurvedic mind-body type
This means eating the right food, living the lifestyle and practicing Yoga according to your unique mind-body type.
If you’re new to Ayurveda or even you have taken a Dosha quiz before this one will reveal something new – I promise 😊 Take this quiz and discover your Ayurvedic Dosha (mind-body type), uncover your strengths and weaknesses, and find out what might be holding you back from living your best life.
2. Develop peace, harmony and respect for all from a place of receptivity and understanding and listening through the three Gunas – Sattva, Rajas and Tamas
These are the different qualities of energy that are present in nature, food and actions, as well as our mind and body.
Developing Sattva Guna – which is our inherent quality of awareness, compassion, clarity and balance is the key factor in bringing us to lasting peace and happiness.
By becoming aware of what we want to do in this life, lead by compassion and having a balanced view of the world will help us on this path.
3. Honor all living things and nature
This means not just your personal or social concerns, but being a responsible citizen of the entire universe.
4. Follow your Dharma
This means living according to your inner purpose, your deeper soul’s mission. Dharma is the purpose that you have come into this life to fulfil and reflect your Karmas (actions) from previous lives.
Discovering your Dharma and living your Dharma on a daily basis will give you a good foundation for attaining inner-peace.
5. Understand your Karma – your actions
This means understanding what forces you’ve set in motion in your life and how these are likely to shape your future.
Vedic philosophy teaches us that our lives are products of our own previous actions – Karma. It teaches us that the universe is our own co-creation that we have created along with the forces of nature. Similarly, the state of society is our own co-creation along with other people.
You as an individual are the result of your own thoughts and actions and not the result of what other people have done to you.
6. Take responsibility for your Karma
This means recognizing that your Karma is your responsibility whether you are aware of that action, or not.
7. Be true to your Higher Self
This means not just trying to fulfil your desires or expectations or follow the expectations of other people, but to truly listen to your inner Self and live according to your true nature.
And that is how you find long lasting inner peace.
If you’re new to Ayurveda or even you have taken a Dosha quiz before this one will reveal something new – I promise 😊 Take this quiz and discover your Ayurvedic Dosha (mind-body type), uncover your strengths and weaknesses, and find out what might be holding you back from living your best life.
Please feel free to forward this to a friend, colleague or family member who you feel could benefit.