I love the sound of divinely inspired music and angelic voices…especially when chanting my favourite mantras.
One such mantra I love is OM ASATOMA.
This mantra, to me, sums up the why of Yoga.
I practice Yoga to learn to recognize the truth in myself and all things. I practice Yoga in order to understand myself and others. I practice Yoga to be able to deal better with ‘life’ – its ups and downs. Yoga has taught me to see things more clearly, hear things correctly and feel honestly.
Yoga is something for everyone; however, not everyone will explore the depths of their own being…which is indeed the real practice of Yoga.
There is a quote that was popularised back in the late 1600’s-early 1700’s by a minister by the name of Matthew Henry.
This quote has some original ties to the Book of Jeremiah in the Bible, and even farther reaching ties to the Om Asatoma mantra of the Upanishads (700BCE).
Yoga asks us to look and to listen. It encourages us to look deeply and clearly, and to listen acutely to what is. Yoga is the process of excavating our Soul – digging deep, removing layers, filters and shifting our perception so that we can see into our own blind spots.
Facing how we have shown up in life in the face of our own imperfect behaviour can be confronting, especially if our fall from grace has been far. Many people refuse to take account of their actions and words. Instead, they remain comfortable in their own narcissistic bubble and continue to only ever look out and never look within.
We all have imperfections; or rather we have all been guilty of imperfect deeds and used words as weapons of defence or attack at times. Admitting our fallibility is a key practice of Yoga. Owning our ‘stuff’ and committing to doing and speaking better, is a part of the Yogic code of conduct.
Those who chose to remain unconscious of their ways and ignorant to the repercussions will remain speedbumps or present roadblocks in the lives of others and to the planet. Living life blind and deaf to your effect on others and on the planet does no-one, including yourself, any favours.
So, those that choose Yoga are choosing the path of waking up. Learning to see clearly and listen profoundly, although not easy at times, will be the gift that keeps on giving.
So, let the mystical mantra of Om Asatoma inspire you to live life with clear eyes and honest ears.
