May is the month of Simplicity at Yoga Bliss. Dr. Bali shares with us what simplicity means and how to achieve greater simplicity in our lives. Join us for special meditations focusing on simplicity the first week of May.
WHAT IS SIMPLICITY?
Simplicity is quite simple… in today’s terms “Don’t sweat over small stuff”. When you realize everything is small stuff it all becomes very simple.
WHY DO WE HAVE SO MUCH TROUBLE ACHIEVING SIMPLICITY?
Every day of our lives we are driven towards false or assumed reality. This is Avidya, this is the misapprehension of reality, a form of ignorance or not knowing. Evolution has caused Avidya, our need to succeed, to be the best, survival of the fittest. If we compare our mind from the Stone Age to our mind today in the Information Age we find there are layers upon layers of Avidya. It’s like a patch of cloud that keeps the sun from shining through. We create more Avidya by making poor choices preventing us to reach simplicity. We are always on the hunt to have more, faster cars, bigger homes, and more money. This in turn brings us more stress, anxiety and ultimately, depression. Look at Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson who had everything they could have wanted, and yet were not happy. They chose to end their lives.
HOW WOULD WE ALL BENEFIT FROM MORE SIMPLICITY?
Less is more. Simplicity leads to clarity and higher productivity in what matters and not just busy-work which makes you feel as if you’re getting nowhere.
HOW CAN WE CREATE SIMPLICITY IN OUR LIVES?
First we must learn to withdraw our mind from the sensory experience and rediscover that our inner journey is far more precious than all the external pursuit for material things and pleasure of the senses. Steps 5 and 8 of Hatha Yoga called Prattayhara we learn just that. Simplicity doesn’t mean being deprived of external pleasure, it means finding more enjoyment and value and peace through inner-pursuit and self –knowledge. This is timeless, ageless and infinite.
You don’t need struggle to create simplicity. When you develop peace from the inner source simplicity will follow. This is what I live and what I help my students find at my Happiness Program
HOW CAN WE DEVELOP INNER PEACE TO FIND SIMPLICITY?
1. Regular practice of yoga. Like any medicine, you can’t just take a pill once a month or even once a week and expect to be healed. Think of yoga as medicine, we need to take more every 6-7 hours to keep our mind and body healthy by tapping into our inner reserves.
2. Meditate regularly. We must let our minds be mindless. No matter where we are in our lives as with no boundaries “What is my true purpose?”, “What do I truly want?” and “Who am I?”
3. Regular Study of the yoga philosophy. Study of the Vedanta and Yoga Sutras provide the knowledge of personal transformation and help guide us on this journey.
4. Slow down and breathe. We must conserve energy and shift from the adrenalin rush to a state of being present and cultivating patience. When we feel rushed we must take a minute and anchor our attention on the breath. Breath is the principal of motion, when you hold the breath there is no time. Take a deep breath until you can’t breathe in any further. Hold it until you can’t hold it anymore. Get in touch with your pent up emotions and then let go. Breathe out the breath and all the stress.
5. Eliminate clutter. As I said, less is more. We should get rid of anything we haven’t used in 6 years. If you find it too hard to figure out, start putting things you think you don’t need in a box in the closet or in the basement. Accumulate as much as you can. In 6 months go and look at all those things you felt attached to and watch how the attachment disappears.
6. Look for solutions, not problems. We spend so much of our energy on problems without consciously looking at solutions. Eliminate the words “Should Have”, “Could Have”, “Would Have” from your vocabulary. Start your thoughts and phrases with “I Will”, “I Want” and “I Can” .
7. De-clutter your social life. At times socializing can be very stressful. We must avoid people or situations that can be toxic. We have started acting out of obligation rather than out of pleasure to spend time with friends and family. Eliminate instances where you feel feeling “I should go there”, and replace them with occasions of “I want to go there”. Mediate on what will bring you joy and pursue those relationships. We must learn to not be afraid to say no to situations that are a source of stress.
HOW DOES DR. BALI LIVE IN SIMPLICITY?
In my generation, the 1950’s and 1960’s were simple. TV and cars were luxuries. Life was simple. I have seen the evolution of this overwhelming feeling of wanting more. I may be a part of this evolution but I am not part of it. I am in the physical realm but the frame of reference is different; I do not live in the state of doing or achieving or even thinking. I find simplicity through the state of being, not becoming. Being in a higher state of evolution means no attachment, – with no ego-based awareness. I have no stress, no fight-or-flight response, and this has kept me young. I am always happy, even in the midst of adversity I am not affected by highs and lows, peaks and valleys. I live the notion “Thy will be done.” Even though I have an agenda I am not attached to it because I believe there is a greater design from which we are guided and protected every moment and every step of our life.
Dr. Madan Bali – edited by Olivia Gottlieb