New Year's Resolutions from the Bhagavad Gita

New Year’s Resolutions from the Bhagavad Gita
(the verses are taken from the internet, the commentary is by Janice)

Smile often - “In the midst of daily life, if one can endure the turmoil caused by selfish desire and anger, then he is truly happy. Indeed, he is a yogi.” (5:23)

Too often New Year’s resolutions focus on attempting to make major changes in a short amount time. This is a sure fire recipe for self sabotage. We are hard wired, instinctually, to preserve the status quo. The actions that lead to lasting change are those that are taken one step at a time. When we break things down into what I call “baby steps” the system gets a chance to adjust to the change lessening the unconscious need to sabotage ourselves. Here we begin with a perfect baby step–smile often. It has been demonstrated that a simple smile can change the mood of the one who is smiling and often positively affects the recipient. Try it sometime. If you are feeling down, look in the mirror and smile. It may feel fake initially but don’t let that sabotage take over, keep smiling. Give yourself that gift of presence I was talking about last month. See how it affects your mood.

Slow down – “You should first control the senses and then shatter desire, the sinful destroyer of knowledge and discretion.”(3:41); and
Stay focused - The focus of one with an unwavering mind is single-pointed in this world. But for the one with a quivering mind pulled in a thousand ways, decisions are endless.” (2:41)

The original definition of sin, in its Greek origins, is to “miss the mark or the target.” Richard Miller has expanded that definition to “misunderstanding.” When we miss the mark it is not that we are purposely trying to hurt or harm but that our attempts are falling short of the goal. We are human beings, and as such we are not perfect, we will miss the mark at times. Usually that happens because we have a misunderstanding about what the “target” should be, or where out focus needs to rest. For example, we may believe that the way to earn respect is to be the best. A lot of energy can go into trying to be the best and the only way to be the best is to be better than other people. So now, rather than focusing on doing the best we can in that moment and then (as the Gita would remind us) letting go of the fruits of our actions we are caught up in comparison and judgment, which may very well take us away from the basic desire, to be respected.

Just as it is more difficult to hit the target, say a dart board, if you are running by it and tossing a dart as you go, so it is almost impossible to tap into our inner resources and knowing if we do not slow down. In yoga, we focus a lot on the breath because the breath brings us into the present moment. When we are focused in the present moment there is greater clarity and discrimination, and the misunderstandings begin to disappear. Again, remember the principle of baby steps. Slowing down can be a resolution to stop once an hour and take 5 breaths. This may change your day. And if you clearer and present this may very well bring a positive change to someone else’s day.

Balance – “Indeed, yoga is not for one who eats too much or too little; it is also not for one who sleeps too much or stays awake for too long.” (6:16)

Here we are reminded of the gunas: tamas, or the principle of inertia, and rajas, or the principle of action, as well as sattva, the balance of the two. We are not being asked to do all sorts of austerities like fasting or going without sleep but rather to honor our humanness, our physical bodies, and give them adequate nourishment and sleep. The baby step here may be to look at your patterns of sleep and make slight adjustments to get more sleep per night. Without proper rest it is difficult to smile, maintain discrimination and choose nourishing food. In ayurveda it is suggested that we try to go to sleep between 10 and 11pm before we catch that “second wind.” Rather than being active during that time, the body needs to be resting so the days experience can be digested.

Remember, the journey can only begin with a single step. What is yours?
Shanti, Janice