MyLifeYoga

The “flavour-of-the-week” mentality offers a range of good choices but does it root you to the practice?

When I started practicing yoga it was shortly before yoga had made a household name for itself. It was still at a time when people thought of it as an alternative lifestyle. It was by no means mainstream and not really taken too seriously by the general public. Even being a yoga teacher was not something to be proud of. Today, it is the total opposite. People consider yoga a necessity for reducing stress and good health. Ironically it is even better understood as a practice for well-being than as a purely spiritual one.

This shows how the way we often take up these practices is conditioned. The advertisements, the media, other people and even our samskaras (imprints on the subconscious mind) are influencing us. If we also look closely it is easy to see how this growing trend also encourages the “flavour-of-the-week” mentality. That is, we start to think by gaining a lot of knowledge and seeking out teachers from one tradition to the next we will improve and enhance our ability, as well satisfy our desires. Contrary to the popular understanding that “variety is the spice of life” this can be a limited approach in yoga. Limited…. because the practices of yoga including meditation are not spiraling outward. It is a deep well; it goes down and deep. Continue reading →

Today, many will awaken with a fresh sense of inspiration. Why not you?

Today, many will open their eyes to the beauty that surrounds them. Why not you?

Today, many will choose to leave the ghost of yesterday behind and seize the immeasurable power of today. Why not you?

Today, many will break through the barriers of the past by looking at the blessings of the present. Why not you?

Today, for many the burden of self doubt and insecurity will be lifted by the security and confidence of empowerment. Why not you?

Today, many will rise above their believed limitations and make contact with their powerful innate strength. Why not you? Continue reading →

It is a basic truism of management practice that “Carrot and Sticks” is the way to manage people. Instead scientists are finding that this is true only for simple rudimentary tasks. But for tasks that require out-of-the-box thinking this type of incentive structure does more harm than good. Unfortunately the problems faced by modern workers do not lend themselves to mechanical and routine problem solving. Thus the incentive structures have to be revised to provide what are known as “intrinsic” incentives. These are:

1. Autonomy: The urge to direct our own lives.
2. Mastery: Desire to get better at something that is important.
3. Purpose: The yearning to do something larger than ourselves.

What does all this mean for you? If you want to be happy get yourself in an environment where incentives are not the “carrot and stick” type but instead revolve around: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

You may also like: Was Steve Jobs A Yogi?

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” — Mother Teresa

Related: Empty Boat.