“Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.”

-Epicurus

Weekly Focus: Brahmacharya (moderation)

Brahmacharya is the fourth yama or personal restraint and refers to the “right use of energy.” How are we moderating our energies to achieve more equilibrium and balance in our everyday lives?

“Right use of energy,” “moderating our senses,” what does that all mean? Traditionally, brahmacharya referred to the setting aside of any indulgence, activity or posession that clouded our mind. In essence, this referred to extreme minimalism, abstinence, and and more, practiced often in solitude. In a modern world, as a modern lay individual, how does brahmacharya work or make sense?

We can look at this a number of ways:

– Indulgence: do we notice ourselves consuming more than we need? This could be anything – possessions, the time of other people, social media, food, etc. If we notice these patterns, what does over-consumption look like and how does it make us feel? Can we actively choose to moderate this intake and seek more balance?

– Over-extension: do we notice ourselves giving more of our energy than we have to offer? This could be physically, mentally, or emotionally. Where are we over-extended and how do we take back our energy?

Perhaps choose an area that you struggle with this week to guide your thoughts and intentions. Consider how the energy in these areas of our lives could be redirected to seek more balance and wholeness for ourselves. 

Here is a simple practice in brahmacharya:

1. Choose one area of indulgence — we all have something. What is an action, an intake, or a habit that you over indulge in? Write it down on a piece of paper in bold letters. Admit it to yourself. 
2. Reflect — set a timer and reflect on how you feel when you over indulge in this one thing. 
3. Make a commitment — rather than eliminating the action, item, etc altogether, make a decision to moderate it. Write an “I will” statement to announce your commitment. If you do choose to over-indulge again, forgive yourself, have grace, and reflect on how and why it made you feel. Write it down.

Passive Pose of the Week: Utthan Pristhasana (lizard lunge)

Utthan pristhasana can be quite juicy or quite crunchy, depending on the day and your body. In what ways can you use props to moderate the sensations of this pose in order to  find benefit without pushing our limitations and over-extending?

• Begin on hands and knees.
• Step your right foot forward outside of your right hand so that you are in a lunge position.
• Tuck your left toes and lift the knee, actively press the heel up.
• Hold for 5 – 7 breaths before switching sides.

This pose should help us find a good inner thigh and hip stretch, but shouldn’t push us into areas of pain or discomfort. To help sustain this pose longer, try bringing blocks beneath your hands so that the back can stay long and extended. You might also widen the front foot more to allow more room for the hips to settle. As you breathe, imagine take deep steady breaths into the front hip, like taking deep sips of water. 

Active Pose of the Week: Vashistasana (Side Plank)