Yoga for Aparigraha (Greedlessness)
May 03, 2018
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali contain the complete system of Yoga. It includes personal codes to live by as well as specific breathing and meditation techniques. All have a single aim – to still the fluctuations of the mind. Then like a still lake, we can see the depth of who we are. The yamas are a set of personal codes that have to do with how we interact with others. Aparigraha (greedlessness) is the 5th yama.
Clinging and grasping come from fear - fear of not having enough. Fear is a root chakra imbalance. Our most primal sense of safety and belonging is at the foundation of our experience. This relates to our roots, our “home.” The better we understand the root cause of fear, the easier it is to work with clinging and grasping. Taking more than we need, “just in case” or holding on to items that keep us fixed in the past are a way to feel safe. Yoga offers many alternative ways to feel safe in our body and in the world so we can more easily slough off what no longer serves.
Standing poses, especially wide leg standing poses such as Triangle and Warrior II, offer us a sense of rootedness and therefore safety. Tree pose surely does this as well. This is one reason these poses feature regularly in our children’s Yoga lesson plans.
Routine is another powerful tool for stability. If a child knows what’s going to happen in general and where things are, there is likely to be less of a need to be greedy.
A well-balanced diet including grains and root vegetables is a recipe for feeling grounded as well.
Mudras are perhaps one of the quickest, easiest and most effective tools to reduce fear and promote freedom. A few favorites are Turtle in a Shell (Adhi Mudra) and Plug Into The Earth (Bhu Mudra).
Meditation is a daily practice children can develop. This creates space around the thinking process. The type of thoughts can then be observed. With the recognition of greedy thoughts, different choices can be made. This is mindfulness and a gem from the Yoga tradition.
Clinging and grasping agitates the mind. With clarity, the purpose of life can be seen. The mind can become more still by becoming more stable. Another way to say this is, “stable body, stable mind.” It is a main mantra of Yoga for children.
