by Swami Ramananda

Sri Swami Sivananda said that our suffering brings out the essence in us, just as an herb releases its fragrance when crushed. Gold is exposed only by removing a mountain of soil. Diamonds are formed through intense pressure. The entire human race is suffering today and heroes are being born.

Without exception we are facing tremendous challenges; our lives have been dramatically altered and it takes true heroism to accept this new life and make it beautiful. Who will we be on “the day after” this pandemic? Can we allow ourselves to be refined and strengthened? Is there a little bit of heroism in us? What will it take for us to step up and practice Yoga in a way that will meet the demands of the day?

1. Face ourselves with honesty. With so many habits and pleasures stripped away, we can take a new and honest look at ourselves. It can be painful to see the naked truth behind the masks we wear to protect ourselves. If we are willing to, we have a perfect opportunity to see the selfish habits and petty desires that prevent us from opening our hearts.

2. Cling to our values. The pandemic gives us very convenient excuses to kick back. Our government gives us very convenient reasons to be outraged. The condition of our society gives us very convenient reasons to be hopeless. But laziness, outrage and hopelessness are not honorable responses and leave us immersed in a darkness of our own making. Which is the central value of Yoga? Retain your peace. Sri Swami Satchidananda says, “Do whatever it takes to retain your peace.”

3. Welcome the challenge and accept the suffering. A central teaching of Yoga is tapasya, which means purification and is a necessary aspect of the spiritual path. “Bear insult, bear injury; highest sadhana!” is a favorite motto of Sri Swami Sivananda. As we bear up with each new indignity, we will develop resilience and fortitude.

4. Remember the saints and sages. Suffering and challenge are inevitable in every lifespan. In the life story of any saint, we will see far greater suffering than that which any of us are facing. Sri Swami Satchidananda said that the purpose of challenge is to show us what we are made of. If life is asking us to be strong, then let us rise to the occasion! We may have far more strength in us than we presently realize. We can always find inspiration and courage by remembering the thousands of saints and sages who have walked on this earth.

All of us on the earth are in this situation together. When we think and act from that understanding, we contribute to justice and harmony instead of fear and prejudice. The pandemic has given us an opportunity to expose and free ourselves from self-centered conditioning and stand up for spiritual values. If our effort is sincere, we will deepen our personal experience of the unchanging Self within us all.

Swami Ramananda is the President of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 35 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.

He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced level yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco, and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U. S., Europe and South America. Ramananda trains Yoga teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.

It is so easy to get lost in our story filled with pain and resentment, worry and helplessness. I call it being stuck in a box. It is a very lonely place. We can examine our box from the inside, how tight the walls feel, whether we are alone all the time or if people visit us. Are there windows or doors? Do we dare to peek out into the unknown and look at the world beyond our own suffering?

We all recognize the windows, when the fresh air comes in and with it a sense of being able to breathe again and feel inspired. We might even recognize the door we peek out from and even take a step bravely out letting our old story go and risking the heart again.

At each moment we can check in and see how deep inside “the box” we are and look for the cracks where the light comes in. Are we out of the box? That is something amazing, something to acknowledge and celebrate. We are free from the old prickly prison of same old thoughts and we fly free like a bird outside it’s cage until we return again.

The practice is to come out, stay out as long as we can and eventually move out. The box will always be there; it is part of life. The practice is to check within yourself and recognize being in the box before settling long term, to use our mindfulness and yoga tools to find the way out again alone or with help. Open the doors, open the windows, open, open, open, open, open, OPEN.

My teacher Swami Satchidanada taught me that selfishness causes us to suffer in this way. We are meant to be connected to all, think of others, serve others. We are all One.

The heart can open the doors and windows wide even if the hinges are rusty. Love has that power. As you step out and free yourself of this prison and heal, we all heal. We are all interconnected.

Blessing:

​May you recognize in your life the presence,
power, and light of your soul.

May you realize that you are never alone,
that your soul in its brightness and belonging
connects you intimately with the rhythm of
the universe.

May you have respect for your individuality
and difference.

May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique,
that you have a special destiny here,
that behind the façade of your life,
there is something beautiful and eternal happening.

JOHN O’DONOHUE

Excerpt from the blessing, ‘For Solitude,’ from his books:
Benedictus (Europe) / To Bless the Space Between Us (US) ​

​Diana Meltsner is a C-IAYT certified yoga therapist and e-RYT500 Yoga Alliance registered 500-hour experienced teacher and teacher trainer. dianameltsner.com

Sri Swami Satchidananda often reminded us that the great surfers spend thousands of dollars to travel across the globe to find the big waves, and to experience the thrill of riding them into the shore.

Emotionally, socially, economically and spiritually we are experiencing big waves. In fact, it is a Perfect Storm of big waves which has already drowned hundreds of thousands of our human companions. What are we to do? How can we surf?

Here are several points to consider:

“This too shall pass:” For as far back as recorded history can reach, there have been natural disasters. The resilience that has brought our race through 200,000 years will bring us through the pandemic as well.

Look for a bright side: While this pandemic has caused untold amounts of suffering and hardship, there are important lessons that point to a bright side in this storm as well. One of these lessons is how Mother Nature is utilizing this time to prune and “reboot.” In the pruning process the shape of the trunk and limbs of the tree are revealed. In the same way, as we have withdrawn from many of our usual pursuits and activities the dysfunctional aspects of our government and society have come into full view. Inevitably, this will empower a humanistic movement to overturn some of the policies that have caused so much suffering.

Do whatever it takes to maintain your peace: Dig deep. Every challenge that is put in front of us has the potential to reveal our strength. Now is the time to find out how much stamina and courage you have. Put your principles to the test: as yogis our role is to be the presence of peace, wherever we are.

Pray: The vibration of peace is contagious. We can think of our vibrational frequency as a kind of positive, corrective virus!

If we pray with a well-focused mind, the messages from our personal “broadcasting station” will transmit far into the world. (Sri Swamiji once said that the thoughts emerging from a totally concentrated mind are as powerful as bombs.) So let our thoughts be a balm to soothe troubled minds and hearts. After all, we have been given the teachings and the training to serve this way, so let us not default on our role.

Equanimity: Surfers are extremely vigilant and have to continuously rebalance themselves throughout the ride. Our surfboards are our minds, and to keep our balance we have to continuously adapt, adjust, and re-establish our equanimity.

Self-Care:  Keep your own house in order. Learn how to be your own best friend, and shine the light of love into your own heart with total forgiveness and compassion for any limitations you may have. Slow down, lighten up, smile at yourself. Self-care is of vital importance to us all.

Equanimity is both a spiritual practice and a practical way to live when we balance our intention to serve others, with the need to keep ourselves healthy and clear-thinking. May we all cultivate a personal center of balance that enables us to be a presence of healing and peace in our communities.

Thomas Edison called for his wife to come observe as his laboratory was burning down… he said she may never see such a fire again!!  Now as we watch our own nation burning up, there is a great deal for us to learn. Watch your mind in all its reactions! See the forms of fear or anger or anxiety, and explore the effectiveness of your yoga tools in response.