By Shefa Ali
One of my favourite things about yoga is that’s its wisdom offers guidelines for living a beautiful, meaningful and purposeful life.
Aparigraha ? which is kind of like one of the moral vows of Yoga literally translates to ‘non-hoarding.’ It teaches us not to take or use more than you need in any area of your life.
The peace activist and change maker Mahatma Gandhi was quoted as saying beautifully, “There is more than enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for any man’s greed.” He was sharing the idea of living a simple life. Over the last few years I have disciplined myself to use only that which is necessary. I buy only that which is essential. It doesn’t mean that I live like a monk, but it means that I have cultivated a sense of moderation and simplicity. Regardless of our financial means, we don’t need to live over extravagantly or surround ourselves with so many unnecessary possessions, which results in consumerism that ultimately has a negative impact on the environment.
If you went on a weekend break and took ten suitcases full of different fancy clothes, and outfits for every activity you did during the day, as well as lots of other unnecessary items, you would have had a headache at the airport. You could get charged for all the excess baggage, and you could possibly hurt your back from carrying all that stuff!
It would take extra time to get your baggage from the belt, then from the car to the hotel and so on. Your room would be cluttered with so many suitcases and you would never be able to find what you were looking for! On the other hand, if you came with just one bag with the necessities – clean clothes for each day, your toiletries, a good book to read – everything would be so much easier. You will never be weighed down, slowed down or inconvenienced.
I use this analogy and apply it to my life. The more I used to accumulate or try to accumulate, the more I acquired, the more I got bogged down and the more difficulties I used to face. So, I decided to travel light in life and I found that my life became easier, calmer and more peaceful. Expectations about life can weigh us down too. Expectations can lead to a lot of frustration; acceptance on the other hand brings a sense of peace and joy. If we live without expectations, we will always be in peace.
* The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa, Website: missshefa.com
