{"id":6426,"date":"2018-06-18T09:40:01","date_gmt":"2018-06-18T08:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.ronayoga.co.uk\/?p=6426"},"modified":"2018-08-02T14:21:40","modified_gmt":"2018-08-02T13:21:40","slug":"post-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/post-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Minimalism \u2013 is there a Sutra for that?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our of our class themes is Patanjali\u2019s 5th<\/sup> Yama from the Yoga Sutras, Aparaigraha, roughly translated as \u2018Letting Go\u2019 or \u2018Non-Hoarding\u2019.\u00a0 We can extend this theme beyond the Yoga mat into our wider lives in particular our homes \u2013 and the following piece may help.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an article I wrote for Spectrum Magazine in 2017 on too much stuff in our lives and the relevance of Patanjali\u2019s ancient Yogic wisdom today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I hope you find it helpful.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rona, March 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

Minimalism \u2013 is there a Sutra for that?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When we observe emerging movements and trends in Western society \u2013 the positive ones that is \u2013 it\u2019s often good to refer back to Patanjali\u2019s Yoga Sutras.\u00a0 It never fails, because, needless to say, there is usually a Sutra for that, or the spirit of a new fangled intention is embedded therein.<\/p>\n

Aparigraha & Minimalism<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are fascinating parallels in comparing the 5th<\/sup> Yama – Aparigraha<\/em>, translated broadly to mean non-attachment or non-hoarding, with the modern day growth in Minimalism. \u00a0Minimalism, is not to be confused with minimal, stark, white, feng shui home design.\u00a0 Rather, it is a scaled back slower paced minimal lifestyle, in pursuit of joyful experiences rather than living with the burden of processions \u2013 ie: stuff \u2013 or excessive debt that can disturb our inner peace. \u00a0So fascinating are the parallels between Minimalism and Aparigraha<\/em>, they could be the study of something much wider than this article, a mere scratch of the surface.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Growth<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Patanjali\u2019s labour of love \u2013 a work of remarkable contemplation and succinct to the core – was worked out and catalogued in a form possible for it\u2019s day, a millennia or two ago.\u00a0 Meanwhile in the Western world, we bashed our way through civil wars, the growth of international trade, the industrial and now th<\/p>\n

e technological revolutions \u2013 mostly in pursuit of economic growth.\u00a0 And, we\u2019re good at it.\u00a0 During the post WWII years, a period of unprecedented economic growth has taken place with the combined value of goods & services in the UK quadrupling since 1948. Whilst there are inequalities and injustices, personal growth can come from economic prosperity, however what also arises are the ills of consumption, including acquiring and hoarding too much stuff in our lives.<\/p>\n

Hoarding<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Whether Patanjali specifically meant non-hoarding in Aparigraha<\/em>, or a broader intention of non-attachment and restraint of greed, is a matter of debate. However, it is striking that one of the symptoms of too much consumption today is – hoarding. Hoarding, which can in turn makes us unhappy, constrained and financially drained.<\/p>\n

Encouraged by affordable imports, we can acquire stuff to the point where we struggle to spend time enjoying them. We often endure too many hours at work trying to pay for acquisitions in the first place.\u00a0 And, rather like an unused gym membership, we can feel a growing sense of disappointment or guilt if we do not utilise our possessions or allow them pile up unloved.<\/p>\n

The accumulated weight of too much stuff in the home can clutter our mind and suppress our creativity. It can stall us from planning and enjoying experiences, often because we are stuck in a cycle of sorting and tidying.\u00a0 Unless there is a neat cataloguing system in our homes – a pipe dream for many and a cash cow for those selling storage systems – we often knowingly or unwittingly buy something we already have.\u00a0 And so, the cycle of over-consumption continues, the hoarding of stuff builds, and as far as Patanjali\u2019s wisdom is concerned, our inner peace is lost.<\/p>\n

Letting Go<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The essence of Patanjali\u2019s Aparigraha<\/em> \u2013 was, like all the Sutras, to prepare or clear the mind for higher states of consciousness.\u00a0 Indeed, the goal of modern day Minimalism \u2013 is to free us up to enjoy life\u2019s experiences, which is strikingly similar. \u00a0Minimalism pops up in many guises over the years, through the lifestyles of the Shaker communities in the 1700\u2019s, the Danish approach to life of Hygge, and in literature, such as Thoreau\u2019s Walden, where simple living in the woods or living \u2018deliberately\u2019 is celebrated.<\/p>\n

Modern Day Advocates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Recent advocates of Minimalism are to name a few – Marie Kondo author of the worldwide best seller \u2018The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying\u2019 and internet bloggers & film makers The Minimalists aka Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. Interestingly, neither of them present any \u2018storage solutions\u2019.\u00a0 Advocated at the heart of their writing is one single common theme – a complete letting go.\u00a0 Discarding, throwing away and moving on.\u00a0 Whist this may seem like a depressing read for the environment, discards are encouraged in the form of gifts or charitable donations.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Those familiar with Marie Kondo will know her mantra well.\u00a0 This is to question does this item \u2018spark joy\u2019 in your life? If the answer is yes, then keep it \u2013 simple!\u00a0 If not \u2013 donate it away. \u00a0To deal with the hurdle of sentiment, Kondo recommends de-cluttering mundane items first like paperwork, books and clothes. Letters and old birthday cards are dealt with last, so the tidier does not become \u2018stuck\u2019 in a box of old memories. She nevertheless questions the need to hold onto such keepsakes as the sentiment, including the spirit of the person who gave you a kind message, is \u2018stored in your heart\u2019.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Minimalists advocate a wider approach which includes a gradual letting go of the rat race, including step changes like selling your home to pay off debt in exchange for renting and downsizing your accommodation.\u00a0 Again, they call for discarding unwanted clutter and acquiring less in the first place, reducing the need for a larger home. A theme they work on is financially adjusting your spending along with your salary expectations by scaling back responsibilities or hours at work, or switching to a lower paid job which will help you enjoy life.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aparigraha today<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Like Patanjali\u2019s Yama Aparigraha <\/em>\u2013 the essence of Minimalism is in pursuit of a life enriched with experiences, including more time with family, at a pace that is more conducive to mindful living. The idea of being present in our lives comes up again and again, only if we adjust our liabilities, consumption levels and the hoarding of stuff.<\/p>\n

How does this resonate with you in Yoga? It is often fun to spot what you have already worked out through your practice, and Patanjali\u2019s Sutras remain a reassuring signpost that you are following a meaningful path. Would Patanjali be precious about Aparigraha<\/em> being referred to in part as Mimimalism in the modern age? We may never know, however the spirit is the same \u2013 to create the conditions to clear our minds for higher states of consciousness, or in the case of Minimalism, the right foundations to follow life\u2019s experiences over the acquiring or hoarding possessions, every time.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

References:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Marie Kondo The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying : A simple and effective way to banish clutter forever, April 2014 https:\/\/konmari.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

The Minimalists\u00a0 Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus \u00a0http:\/\/www.theminimalists.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Office for National Statistics : Long term growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the UK<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

First Published Spring 2017 for \u2018What\u2019s On\u2019 the British Wheel of Yoga Scotland Regional Newsletter<\/p>\n

Published Summer 2017 for Spectrum : The Magazine for the British Wheel of Yoga<\/p>\n

Published Autumn 2017 for Yoga Scotland Magazine<\/p>\n

Rona <\/strong>Main\u00a0<\/strong>\u2502<\/strong>Qualified Yoga Teacher<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2502<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>BWY Teaching Diploma<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our of our class themes is Patanjali\u2019s 5th Yama from the Yoga Sutras, Aparaigraha, roughly translated as \u2018Letting Go\u2019 or \u2018Non-Hoarding\u2019.\u00a0 We can extend this theme beyond the Yoga mat into our wider lives in particular our homes \u2013 and the following piece may help. Here\u2019s an article I wrote for Spectrum Magazine in 2017 …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6436,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[73],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/image002.jpg","acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9kYL0-1FE","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6426"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6426"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6426\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6439,"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6426\/revisions\/6439"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ronayoga.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}