Aparigraha: Non-attachment

Aparigraha is the last of the five Yamas (attitudes towards others) and attachment is the word of the day.

The Yamas, remember, constitute just the first limb of yoga. so after this week, we still have limbs seven limbs of yoga to go, with the second limb being the Niyamas, or attitudes towards ourselves, of which there are also five!

Back to attachment, or Aparigraha which is translated as: non-possessiveness, non-exploitation, not taking conscious advantage of another living being, non-hoarding and non-greed.

The most common lesson of aparigraha is to neutralize the desire to acquire and hoard wealth: hoarding, being the key word, here. One can acquire abundance in the form of wealth, but if we hoard it, we lose touch with our true state of existence and become so wrapped in things, that we become ferociously attached to them, which leads to more greed, more hoarding, etc. I would imagine that most of us aren't too guilty of being greedy, possessive, and exploitive and we probably recognize these tendencies quite easily.

What interests me is what we may overlook is the more subtler of these aspects: non-attachment. Without an emotional attachment to things, we wouldn't feel the urge to act in a greedy, possessive, exploitive manner. This lesson is easily extended to the physical practice of yoga. A beautiful example is our breath. When we hold our breath, we actively prohibit the experience of a new breath, preventing us from moving easily from asana (pose) to asana. The same applies to physical, material things; inner, emotional states of mind; and even larger, societal beliefs.

Anything that we hold onto without actively examining to see if we truly need it, can prevent us from experiencing the present moment.

And really, that's what it's all about: living in the present. May we all enjoy each moment, without feeling attached to what we are experiencing, so that we may truly experience the beauty of the next moment, about to engulf us in its joy.

See you real soon!

Lotsa Love,
Aria

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

The Five Yamas (Attitudes towards others and the world around us)
APARIGRAHA is #5 of #5.
The Five Niyamas (Attitudes towards ourself)
Asana (Physical Postures)
Pranayama (Breath Exercises)
Prathayara (Withdrawl of the Senses)
Dharana (Concentration)
Dhyana (Meditation)
Samadhi (Enlightenment)