Living in Grace

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"For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her smile."
- Elie Weisel

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I am writing this in early October but by the time this is published, election day will have come and gone.  We may or may not have election results yet.  And I’m anticipating that whatever the outcome, this week will be tense and fractious.

How lovely that we have a holiday that reminds us to be thankful later this month.  Gratitude is about living in grace.  If you navigate over to our About Us page, you’ll see this quote by Swami Satchidananda guides our every decision at 5KY.

The goal of yoga and the birthright of every individual is a body of optimum health and strength, senses under total control, a mind well-disciplined, clear and calm, an intellect as sharp as a razor, a will as strong and pliable as steel, a heart full of unconditional love and compassion, an ego as pure as crystal, and a life filled with Supreme Peace and Joy.

That is grace.  Stepping into our natural birthright of calm, strong, and balanced body, mind, and emotions.  It isn’t something that we need to do, per se.  It is what we are.

Swamiji liked to joke (though there’s always an element of truth in his humor) that his religion wasn’t Hinduism but un-doism.  Yoga can help us peel away the layers of our past experience that get in the way of this birthright.

Maybe this sounds really difficult.  The idea of having a will that’s as strong and pliable as steel or an ego as pure as crystal can feel very intimidating.

The good news is, yoga teaches that this is our natural state.  It’s only the other things that unbalance our equilibrium.

Especially as a "down-to-earth" Midwesterner, it sometimes feels uncomfortable to admit to aiming for a goal so lofty.  Like, who do I think I am to believe I have a pure ego?

But this is what I absolutely love about yoga.  We don’t have to be or feel a certain way to get in touch with this birthright.

Yes, many of us will never attain enlightenment (at least in this lifetime) and no one is perfect, even those that are enlightened.  We are all human.  We all make mistakes.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t get the benefits of grace in the here and now.

In fact, the very first Sutra in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is translated to “Now the exposition of Yoga is being made.”  It indicates that at every moment, we have a choice of whether to practice Yoga.  To live our union with ourselves and with all other things.

Because here and now is where we practice.  Not in the past and not in the future.  Now.  At any moment in time, we have the choice to be filled with supreme peace and joy.  Nothing external can stop this opportunity, though external things can distract us from it.

As we wrap up this difficult year and hope for a bright 2021, let’s not forget to feel grateful for the beautiful things we have in our lives right now.  Let’s live in grace together.

In honor of giving thanks, I would like to leave you with a meal prayer we use in Yoga for the Special Child and Integral Yoga.  An audio recording of the meal prayer is also below.

Wishing you a month filled with grace and gratitude!

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Meal Prayer

Om Annapporne Sadaapoorne
Sankara Praana Vallabhe
Jnaana Vairaagya Siddhyartham
Bhikshaam Dehee Cha Paarvati

Maataa Cha Paarvatee Devee
Pitaa Devo Maheswaraha
Baandhavaah Siva Bhaktaaha
Swadeso Bhuvana Trayam

Hari Om Tat Sat
Brahmaarpanamastu
Lokaah Samasataah Sukhino Bhavantu

Translation

Om, Beloved Mother Nature,
You are here on our table as our food.
You are endlessly benevolent.
Benefactor of all,
Please grant us health and strength,
Wisdom and dispassion,
To find permanent peace and joy
And to share this peace and joy
With one and all.

Mother Nature is my mother.
My father is the Lord of all.
The whole creation is my family.
The entire universe is my home.

I offer this unto Om,
to that Truth with is Universal.
May the entire universe be filled with peace and joy, love and light.
May the Light of Truth overcome all darkness.
Victory to that light!