April 2020 - India and coronavirus

"Live simply so others can simply live"
Ghandi

These words could not ring truer today. 
In a time of Coronavirus, where we must be confined to the most basic of lifestyles in the comfort of our houses (let that be said), so as to allow other humans to simply survive, we are reconnecting to the primal needs of our existence, many of which have been lost in this era of modern over-consumption and distraction. We live in a time where the 'needs' we have contrived for ourselves often create more pressure on our daily lives than peace. Running around 'in search of happiness' using all methods available, or '“your money back”, when all that we really need to be intrinsically happy, lies right within us. Just close your eyes, calm the mind and listen. The kind of happiness we aspire to is one that will fill us with gratitude for all that we have. One that doesn't fluctuate with the weather or with the desires we cannot constantly fulfill..

My children having grown up somewhat, I was finally ready to take the long awaited trip to Rishikesh this February to discover and get a better grasp on the origins of yoga. The excitement was coupled with fear due to the recent outbreak of coronavirus, leaving my children behind and the idea of travelling alone to a country known for its 'friendly' bacteria. 
The fear dissipated the moment I landed. 
I decided to stay put for two weeks in the reknown Ashram 'Parmarth Niketan'   - https://www.parmarth.org to soak in and live the life of an 'ashramee' alongside the young bramacharis being brought up there and hundreds of other permanent residents who help run the establishment by doing their karma yoga. 

Needless to say, it was a life-changing experience.

My new-found guru, the beautiful sanyasi Abha Mataji who has been living at Parmath for over 20 years, was the teacher for the course on the Bhagavad Gita. A radiant Indian lady specialising in traditional Vedic texts and chanting from the ancient and sacred Upanishad scriptures. The course I took with her on the Bhagavad Gita was enlightening and profound. The Gita relates the fundamentals of yoga through an epic fight that Prince warrior Arjuna must go forward with in order to accomplish his Dharma. His dilemma: the enemies are his cousins and great-uncles whom he respects and revers. Krishna guides Arjuna through his mental plight to give him the clarity and strength to go forth with his duty, with evenness of spirit and equanimity. This is his Dharma. He must come to terms with the fact that we cannot be attached to the body-mind sense complex, but must aspire to connect to Atman, the eternal soul, the Higher Self, that lived before we entered this body and that will live on beyond our body. The challenge is extremely hard, but Arjuna will finally come to terms with what he needs to do. 

All attachment to the material will be a source of suffering. Ultimately, we must also let go of our own physical body.

This does not mean that we musn't enjoy our lives in this body. Au contraire. The tangible that we are made of, "mitya" must be satisfied with mitya. We must nourish our body and enjoy the beautiful gifts on this Earth. Desires are also part of this life, but it is the control of which desires we choose to follow that will enhance our existence, or cause attachment and hence suffering. The Bhagavad Gita explains in Chapter 2; “the man dwelling in sense-objects develops attachment for them; from attachment springs up desire; and from unfulfilled desire ensues anger.”

Living life with consciousness is what makes our karma become karma yoga. It's the difference between a conscious state and an unconscious state. It's understanding that everything that happens today, is a result of our actions. Our karma is a direct consequence of passed actions in this lifetime but in past ones too. The simple fact of accepting our karma releases us from a lot of our suffering. As you go along purifing your 'karma bank' by good and positive actions in each lifetime, you work your way towards a Self that will cease to look for bodies to reincarnate into. The Self will attain Moksha (liberation) and be finally free of all body-mind form complex. 

"Work hard and do your best to expect the best outcome, but be prepared for the worst!"

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali states that abhyasa and vairagya ( perseverance and detachment) represent the two essential aspects of sadhana ( spiritual practice)

We can only DO the work, fulfilling our dharma. However, the outcome is not in our hands. To quote Abha Mataji '“ …one may have the choice of action, but God has kept the result of that action in His hands.” The results are beyond our control, we do not decide when and how the fruits will return our way.

Practicing yoga helps attain a purer body and mind. The asanas, pranayama and other limbs of Astanga Yoga create a deep inner state of awareness and clarity, not a fluctuating superficial joy dependant on outside criteria . What struck me the most though after just two weeks of living my simple ashram life, was the deep calm that overtook me. The tangible peace and sense of devotion of the locals was inspiring.

As I wander from one room to another during this confinement I am finding the same mode of ‘simplicity of life’ that I cherished in Rishikesh. Dare I say I am enjoying it ? I cannot hide my desire to swim in the sea, to have a dinner party with friends…..but as I cycle around the deserted streets of my town breathing in the crisp clean air, I can almost hear the waves. I pray that we will not rush back into our frenetic ways and that governments will take the right decisions to help bring our society back into a balanced and respectful way of living. Let’s also do our part.