By CHRISTINE MACHIRAJU

Since the tragedy of September 11, in every yoga class I teach I ask my students to sit in contemplation of unity. 

During these periods, I always cry; I find it so hard to swallow the fact that we, as brothers and sisters, are so eagerly willing to kill one another.

As a society and a planet we have moved away from our true nature, which is unity. Today, more than ever, we are blessed with an opportunity to embrace each other as brothers and sisters and work toward global understanding and tolerance. Now is the time to pluck from our hearts and deeds all anger, jealousy, shame, and violence, so we may become true propagators of peace. 

Yoga has as its foundation the concept that all beings are united through the five classic elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Our bodies are all made of the same substances; our minds and hearts are comprised of the same thoughts and emotions. Walking upon and eating from the same earth, bathing in waters created from the same rains, sleeping under the same sky, living under one "fire," and coexisting in the same space, or ether – with each breath we take, our souls, energies, and ideas mingle.

The path to unity is paved with nonviolence – including the avoidance of violent words and thoughts. To practice nonviolence, we must strive to retrain our mouths, our minds, and our hearts so that not even the core of our being projects violence.

Another crucial stepping stone on the path to unity is nonstealing. In yoga, nonstealing is not restricted to the theft of material objects. More importantly, it refers to living within one's means and being happy with the bounty we have received. Nonstealing is vital to bringing about the balance of material wealth that is required for global harmony. Mahatma Gandhi felt that eating even a grain of rice beyond his capacity would be stealing from someone who had none. Most of us have grown accustomed to extravagant lives and have turned a blind eye to those who suffer. This complacency will make it impossible for us to unite with over half of the world that is starving. 

There are steps we can take to employ the principles of nonviolence and nonstealing in our lives. First, we must become honest with ourselves and diligent in monitoring our thoughts. A modern sage, Swami Veda Bharathi, states that he checks every thought in his mind to ensure that it falls into his life plan. If not, he pulls it out. We too must learn to stop all destructive thought. This can be done by spending less time dwelling on negative things and more time remembering our blessings. Keeping a journal of all the things of beauty that we have seen each day also makes each day a blessing. Such steps retrain the mind to focus on the positive. And a positive mind is certainly more prone to nonviolence than a negative one.

Secondly, we must refrain from the habitual use of negative words and expressions. Using the gift of speech in a way that is wasteful or harmful will create energy that is negative and harmful.

Another branch of violence that must be pruned is the harmful way we treat our children. Spanking and verbal negativity beget a cycle of violence. We must learn to use logic and reasoning with our children if we want them to become pilgrims of peace. It is our duty as a society to set an example for our youth by eliminating all violence from our words and deeds. This may sound difficult, but taken one day at a time, one step at a time, it is actually simple and rewarding. 

A wonderful way to practice nonstealing is to be generous. Anytime we feel greed or gratitude, we should offer something to those who have little. Giving not only has a great impact on how we feel about ourselves, it nurtures feelings of love and gratitude in the other person. It generates a positive cycle of warmth and peace. We can teach our children generosity by encouraging them to give toys and clothing to children who lack these things. Children are very receptive to the concept of unity, and when they are informed that there are poor children in the world who have no toys they will give generously of what they have. 

Teaching our children generosity and nonviolence ensures the safety of our planet. Without these qualities we cannot unite as a global family. Each generation must guide the next on the path to peace. When we treat each other with warmth and love and treat children the same, we are true pilgrims of peace. Now is the time to dedicate our thoughts, words, and deeds to peace so that we can unify all nations.

With her husband Venkat, Christine Machiraju teaches yoga, astrology, vegetarian cookery, and other Vedic sciences at their Journey to the Soul centre in Regina, Canada. For more information, contact journeytothesoul@accesscomm.ca, (306) 569-4139.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Mahatma Gandhi felt that eating even a grain of rice beyond his capacity would be stealing from someone who had none.