ABHYASA VAIRAGYA
One of the benefits of our last month’s practice of mindful transitions is an increase in our resiliency. As we move into November and in preparation for the holiday season, I thought it would be a great time to focus on Abhyasa (the practice) of Vairagya,(non-reaction) as a way to further build resiliency.
In the Yoga Sutras 1.12, Patanjali states abhyasa with vairagya (nonreaction) are what help to still the mind. Abhyasa can be defined as steadiness, fortitude, endurance and resilience. When we commit ourselves to a steady practice and create the space to be quiet in chaos, calm at all times and nonreactive (Vairagya), our resiliency rises. Committing to the practice (Abhyasa) this month of how we can be calm (Vairagya) is a wonderful way to increase our fortitude, build resiliency, and prepare for the energetic overload that often comes as the end of the year holidays approach.
One of the greatest tools that will assist this practice is awareness of your breath. Shifting from habitual behaviors to being mindful is what delineates Abhyasa (practice) from repetition. When you start to feel a habitual reaction to your environment, a conversation or the energy around you let it be an awakening to pause, take a breath, recenter yourself into the practice and release/relax into stillness. In that clearing of toxic reactions the mind will quiet and a wide field of clarity emerges. It may take a few breaths and at times you may need to remove yourself from the situation before the practice becomes habit. It starts with awareness, moves to focusing on the breath, and then a commitment (abhyasa) to being nonreactive (vairagya) is born.
Our inner environment can be wild, unkept and destructive when we are not allowing ourselves to be aware of it and take responsibility for it. The harm is not only to us but to everyone around us. In this practice we are proclaiming our inner environment as our responsibility. We are choosing to be accountable for how we feel and think while becoming liable for how we affect others. Ask yourself if you want to continue feeling anxious, distracted, terrorized, angry, or numb, or would you rather feel inner calm, peaceful, clear, confident or joyful?
Take this month to reset your inner compass by mindfully committing to creating space and time for the practice of non-reaction, Abhyasa Vairagya. Create space in the moment by taking a mindful breath and shifting into the practice, awakening to your inner feelings and opening to your chosen potentials. Construct time by expanding the moment and knitting it together breath by breath with fortitude and commitment to increase your desire to feel better and give more, while expanding your field of resiliency.