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Embracing Brahmacharya: Finding Balance in the Ebb and Flow of Life

Writer's picture: Emilee JohnsonEmilee Johnson

This week, our study has focused on brahmacharya. According to The Inspired Yoga Teacher by Gabrielle Harris, “Brahma” means “God, energy, creative life force,” and “charya” means “to follow.”

 

Harris explains that when we practice this yama, we learn to walk as if the divine resides within us, acknowledging that we are worthy of all that is offered before us.

 

Harris continues: “We practice yoga to fortify, preserve, and conserve our energy, not to deplete it. We also practice to plug the holes in our energy leaks and to steer ourselves away from exhaustion. Through self-examination, we can identify the rivers of depletion that show up in our lives: excessive worry, needless running around, incessant talking, investing energy into goals that are not aligned with our true path, and worshiping our addictions—all of these drain our stamina.

 

When we find a balance between the energy coming in and the life force going out, we are better able to pour our attention into the things that matter. By eliminating distractions, avoiding the chase after every pleasure, not getting caught up in the senses, and intentionally choosing where we concentrate our energy, we practice brahmacharya.”

 

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To find the ebb and flow of life, we must practice moderation—moderation of spirit and moderation of movement. We seek to find a rhythm that is consistent and purposeful in cultivating stamina as we move through one pose to another. Our goal is to master the flow of energy into our lives and the flow of energy out to maintain. We aren’t on a linear progression because our moderations should ultimately balance the scales to arrive at zero. Zero isn’t bad; it’s neutral. Zero is the beginning, the inception of the next chapter. Starting at zero is a good place to begin again.

 

Yesterday, I participated in a beautiful meditation led by Jenn Andrews in her new 6-Week Soul Food Course. We discussed the transition of fall and the abundant opportunities to reframe our thinking from a perspective of loss to one of abundance. By appreciating the beauty in, for instance, the fading heat and brilliant fall colors, we can recognize the elegance of change, ushering out the old and making way for the new.

 

This week, we turn to our mats to find moderation—to peak with the ebb and valley with the flow. We move in tandem with breath and movement, maintaining a pace that is sustainable as we know that life will continue to change shape and form.

 

This is my challenge to myself and my invitation to you: examine questions like, "When do I call it and give up?" and "When do I invite novelty and lean in? And remember, the ego has so many things to say...


So this week, I am practicing listening and finding the subtle edge between holding on and letting go, adapting to a rhythm of moderation.




 

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