I rarely write about yoga... even though you must all know that it is a huge part of my life...
It "dictates" how I eat... how I dress... how I live... the work I do... how I think and breathe...
I am Minimalist Vegan Nath because I started yoga! 7 years ago...
Why do I not write more about it? Because to me, yoga is REALLY important... it is powerful... it can change someones life in way you would not even expect or can't even imagine!
7 years ago
1) I was sick with MS
2) I ate anything that was convenient... meat and dairy included... processed food and fast food... and I did not cook
3) I was gaining weight, very little but still, every year...
4) I was trying to be rich to get a big house, fancy cars and travel
5) I was in debt buy 50 000$ without even a mortgage...
6) I was doing work I did not love so much to pay off for that debt and those dreams
Then I started yoga... and it all changed...
1) I am now Minimalist Vegan Nath as you know me
2) I still have a little debt but I am expecting that withing the next year I will be down to 0$ while working part-time at minimum wage and working on my savings too!
3) I no longer want a house or fancy car... or travel to escape from my life: I want a home, something to get me from A to B, and I love my life therefore I do not need to escape from it.
4) MS, 99% of the time is a story from the past
5) 90% of what I eas is homemade
6) I am back to my young adult healthy weight
Change was desirable in my case... if not mandatory! It was not easy... and it took me years... but I would not go back! Not for all the money in the world!
Change was only possible because I started yoga, met great teacher who knew the discipline and shared it with me...
Change was possible because of the Yamas:
1) Ahimsa - non-violence : to yourself, others and the environment : This make me become vegetarian and then vegan... to not hurt my body first of all, then the animals and the planet. A vegan diet is the most compassionate thing one can do.
2) Satya - truthfulness: to be honest with yourself and others : Acknowledge change is require, be honest when you speak with others - honesty does not mean rudeness... you can be honest in your words without harming others.
3) Asteya - non-stealing : you should not take what does not belong to you and on top of that, that principle pushed to the extreme means that what ever you do not use is steeled from someone else. Hence minimalism or simple living. However you like to call it.
4) Brahmacarya - moderation in all things : no excess in anything... and everything should be done with respect to your body, mind and soul and that of others.
5) Aparigraha - non-greed : there is no point in wanting things - whatever you need you already have and what you'll need in the future will be there when you'll need it.
These were life changing to me and today dictate the way I live... I try and apply all of them at all time... sometimes it works... sometimes it doesn't... but yoga is a lifestyle... a journey... not a destination! It requires constant discipline... and there are set backs... and that is OK! You learn from your slips (mistakes) and move on...
Satya and Aparigraha are the most difficult to me... Speaking honestly without hurting people is not always easy... it takes lots of practice... And non-greed in the society we live in is not that simple... as long as I stay away from the mall and the radio and television I am fine... At least I no longer want stuff just to want stuff... usually when I want something I could really use it! And I use it a lot!
I keep on studying yoga... and a practicing it: asanas, yamas, pranayama (breathing) and meditation... because I love it... because it makes me a better person... and because it has improved my life SO MUCH!!!! I want to know what else it can do for me!
One last thing that yoga brought me is to meet amazing people as teachers... and I hope I will not forget anyone here: Yasmin, Kate, Angel, Karen, Gaelle, Maryse, Trish, Deep, Miranda, Madan and Penka... and these were my teachers.... but in every classes there was also amazing students that I met... and I can't name all of them but you know who you are!
There you have it... me and yoga.... maybe I should write more about my practice... and what experiences I get from it... would you like that?
love&peace,
nath
xox
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