*Sunset from one of my favorite places, Seabrook, Washington. A moment of peace away from all the things.*
This week we are talking about the third Yama – Asteya, which means non-stealing. For a recap of the first two Yamas click here and here.
Most of us know that taking or stealing something that is not ours is generally frowned upon. Asteya is so much more than just taking something from someone else.
In our world today, consumerism is all around us. We are bombarded by outside influences telling us we need the new “gadget” or trendiest outfits, leaving us wanting more and more. But when we buy or bring in more than we need this can be considered stealing or hoarding. We are reminded of Gandhi’s words; “Mankind’s greed and craving for artificial needs is also stealing.”
Eating more than we need or spending hours and hours on our devices, scrolling through images and videos can also be considered stealing. Stealing from ourselves. When we eat more than we need after we are satisfied we have stolen from ourselves that feeling of satiety and instead feel full or unwell. The same happens with scrolling. If instead, we manage our time, scroll dog videos intentionally, maybe with a cup of tea and give ourselves a time frame to take short break, we can find some moments of joy. But when we overdo it we might feel lethargic and possibly shameful that we have wasted hours of our day.
In our yoga practice, stealing might look like being disruptive on the mat, talking with your neighbor, coming in late, or bringing in negative energy even before the practice starts, these actions steal the sense of peace from others.
Additionally, when we have thoughts of “I’m not good enough” or “I need more” we are looking for something to fill a void. If we can instead, focus on what we do have, how we feel in our body, notice all of our senses and then be fully present in the moment, we can remind ourselves, “I am enough.”
A simple meditation to remember I am enough: Breath in and say to yourself “I am”, as you exhale, say “enough”. Do this for 3-4 breaths to help center and calm negative thoughts.
When we let go of things we don’t need we open up ourselves to space for things that we truly do need. This might be physical objects, but more likely it could be experiences, like watching the sunset with people we love, basking in all of our senses.
*Note: This post contains some affiliates links, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases*
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