The Yamas of Caring for Others for Social Balance
Via | Sid Jordan | April 8th 2020
Paradoxically, caring for one’s self invariably means caring for others as well. It is a part of our human nature to care for one another. To neglect caring for ourselves is to neglect being able to properly care for others. Our individual mental and emotional well-being is inextricably intertwined with our collective well-being. Thus we need a set of guidelines that supports this interconnectedness of balancing care of self and others. In the practice of Yoga, this set of practical guidelines is Yama (care of others) and Niyama (care of self), which promotes our common welfare according to time, place and person.
These guidelines escape the dogmatic dictates of “never think, say, or do this” or “always think, say, or do that”. This is illustrated in the yama called “ahimsa”, which supports not consciously harming anyone by thought, word or action yet also recommends taking the necessary steps to protect yourself and others when threatened. This is especially helpful when you need to tell people to maintain social distance during the coronavirus threat.
The yama called “satya” espouses that to speak the truth benevolently requires different thinking and wording depending on the people, place and timing for those involved. An example would be the way you choose to share the news of an illness or death in the family for different people based on age and closeness to the ill or deceased. This discriminating use of the truth serves everyone. While we need to eventually embrace the “whole truth” half-truths may help protect the innocent until the full truth finds its appropriate moment for revelation.
“Asteya”, non-stealing, can mean being attentively present when others are sharing their story. Active listening is extremely important in this time of crisis so as not to take the speaker’s valuable time and discount their feelings. “Not listening” may be the largest example of stealing with which humanity could be charged. While not taking other’s personal property is the most material form of asteya, this principle involves not even having the thought of stealing.
The yama, “aparigraha” or living simply means taking and utilizing only what you need so as not to deprive others. This principal is especially important now when shopping for groceries and supplies. More broadly, this is an ecological principle that encourages the most efficient utilization of all natural resources, especially when supplies are threatened.
The last yama, “Bhramacayra”, is applied in the ideation of “the actor, the act, the recipient of the act and the results of the action” are all part of a unified field, Oneness or Divine Presence, depending upon your cosmology. From another angle “to give is to receive and to receive in to give.”
Thus in caring for others we care for ourselves. In the next blog we will explore the niyamas of caring for the self for personal balance.
Sid Jordan
Prama Institute Staff
In 1994 he moved to Asheville NC to develop an eco-village to support the service community of Ananda Girisuta (Blissful Daughter of the Mountain) on the French Broad River near Marshall, NC. In 1997 he trained to be an Ananda Marga Family Acarya (Yoga Teacher) in India committed to giving personal instructions in meditation and yoga. He currently serves as president of the Ananda Marga Gurukula Inc. Board in the US, supporting Neohumanist Education k-colleges worldwide. He is Director of the Prama Institute on the Ananda Girisuta property where he helps direct programing and teaches yoga psychology and spiritual practices. At the Prama Wellness Center he teaches yoga therapy and stress management to individuals and groups. He continues to offer his 40 years of experience and teaching of yoga psychology, philosophy and practices to audiences worldwide.
Additional Blogs!
How healthy is your mental diet?
Our consumption never stops. Emails, phone calls, text messages, podcasts, social media, television, conversations, and the constant stream of information flowing through our screens continually fill our minds with new ideas and impressions. Sometimes the steady barrage of bad news or conflicting opinions becomes overwhelming, and we simply need to stop listening. We need quiet moments to recover our balance.
Connecting with Ourselves and Others in Silence
Many people search for a silent meditation retreat because they want peace, clarity, or a break from the constant noise of everyday life. What often surprises them is that one of the greatest gifts of a meditation retreat isn’t simply finding quiet within themselves—it’s discovering a profound sense of connection with others.
The Prama Wellness Method: An Integrative Path to Lasting Health
At Prama Wellness, we believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. By thoughtfully integrating diverse natural health systems—while preserving the integrity of each—a more powerful and effective therapeutic approach emerges.
Other Blogs Posts
Type 2 Diabetes: Why It’s Not About Too Much Sugar
When I first experienced it, I was shocked to see that some people with type 2 diabetes can faston juice for 3-6 days or eat a very low-calorie plant-based diet and literally eliminate their insulinmedications. How is that possible? Type 2 diabetes is not caused by...
Eight Reasons Why Spring is the Perfect Time for a Juice Cleanse
Spring has finally sprung! The flowers are out, the rain is pouring down, and when the sun peaks through the clouds, it is warming and bright. Since spring is generally wet and damp, which, in Ayurveda (the yogic system of health) is characteristic of Kapha season, it is common for people to cough and sneeze. In fact, the English word “cough” comes for the Sanskrit word “kapha”.
Juicing Without A Juicer? Yes, Here’s How!
You want to juice, but you don’t have a juicer—so what to do? It’s simple. All you need is a blender and some cheese cloth. Start by making a smoothie in your blender of whatever ingredients you have or by using a specific recipe. You may want to add a little more...
12 Scientific Reasons Why A Spring Juice Fast Is Good For You!
Spring is here. It’s the time of the year when I tell people it’s good to do a juice cleanse. But then some of them will ask: is there any scientific evidence that a juice cleanse is effective? They may also ask me what actually happens to the body when we practice intermittent fasting.
