COO::CONNECTION
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April 2007
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| To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson |
::Essence of Yoga and Meditation:: Cultivating Ahimsa: More than Just the Physical
While commenting on Pantajali's
Yoga Sutras, Swami Vivekananda explains, "So long as jealousy exists
in a heart, it is far away from the perfection of ahimsa."
Ahimsa, or nonviolence, is one of the fundamental yoga observances
(yamas). But just because we don't kill doesn't mean we are practicing
ahimsa.
Jealousy is a complex emotion; it
often mixes desire
for something seemingly out of reach, discontent for what we
already have, dislike for the person we envy, and sometimes anger towards
ourselves for not reaching our own goals. Regardless of how you break it down,
it is unhealthy for all parties involved and can lead to toxic relationships.
Next time you feel the green-eyed
monster creeping up, check your ego at the door and reflect on how much you can
learn from the other person. Try
building an alliance instead of alienating him or her. Also, notice if you start to make judgments
about the other person in an attempt to find flaws to counterbalance their
success. We often misjudge those who we
are envious of. Most importantly, don't
let other people's success affect your sense of self-worth. What you want in life is attainable if you
put your energy towards it regardless of what other people do or say.
On the other hand, if you find
yourself boasting to intentionally provoke jealousy, think about how it will
impact your relationship to that other person right now and in the long run. Is a frazzled relationship really worth a
temporary uplift in your ego? Instead, think about how you can help
others so that they can also be successful and feel the same joy of
accomplishment.
In the real world, we might encourage jealousy without intending to and there is often a fine line between
admiration and envy. However, be aware of how
jealousy affects you and others and ahimsa will come naturally.
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