I confess. I have never had a proper toy clean out. Kids grow up and move on to new toy passions and a build up of old stuff just gets stuffed into chests and cupboards.
And as the house fills with bits and pieces of toy paraphernalia crunching underfoot, it’s time. It came to a head last week when, chasing the girls with a blanket, monster like, I trod on a flat bit of plastic toy, which slid away underfoot, taking my leg with it. I landed in a sort of rapper dance floor split – one leg forward, one back, blanket akimbo. Torn knee, pulled hamstring, bruised ego and still sore. As a fellow yoga teacher said, ‘Thank goodness you are a yoga teacher’. She’s right. It would have been a whole lot worse had my muscles now known how to relax.
The ancient book, the Yoga Sutras advise us to practice aparigraha. Translated from Sanskrit as non-grasping, it’s the practice of being non possessive, non-accumulative, and basically not hoarding all those kids toys but passing them on to other families. As well, aparigraha is certainly the eco-friendly way forward.
‘Neutralise the desire to acquire and hoard’ renowned yogi BKS Iyengar says, ‘The yogi feels that the collection of things implies a lack of faith in God and in himself to provide for the future.’
It’s true that a lack of trust that you will have what you need in the future creates an insecurity and that desire to cling onto tightly material possessions, as if they would make us happy.
We seem programed to want more, sometimes acting as if a new outfit could make us happy forever. Sutra 2:7 tells us excessive attachment is based on the assumption that it will contribute to everlasting happiness. But the reality of it is, we are already whole and complete and nothing external will offer us that feeling for very long. We have to go inside to feel it.
As you think of me clearing out the toy chests this weekend, can we you brave enough to practice aparigraha? Simplify your life and train your mind not to feel the lack or loss of things. Open to the trusting what you need will come to you at the right time.
But it’s nice to have a clear platform from where to begin. So, if you too feel like a spring clean. Here’s a few suggestions
- Yoga practice is for the body what teeth brushing is for your teeth. How we love that squeaky clean inside feeling. Try out our new power yoga Wednesday nights at 7.30pm and you will feel what I mean.
- Spring Clean your lungs with our Breathing for Vitality Workshop Saturday, Sept 14 from 2-4pm
- Spring clean your corporate attitude with some exercise at work. Yoga or Pilates classes in your office.
- Register your interest in early morning yoga or pilates. Get that squeaky clean start to the day.
-Christina