By Satguru Swami Nirmalananda
“The one thing constant in life is change,” advises an ancient Greek philosopher. The last year has certainly proven this to everyone in the world!
Yoga goes one step further, teaching that, in the midst of change, there is an inner principle that remains steady. The constancy of your own presence never leaves you. However, if you define yourself by the outer situations, your sense of self changes with the changes of life. One moment you will be happy, and the next moment you will not. If you measure your sense of self by your net worth, or if you are merely at the mercy of the evening news, you’ll be living on a roller coaster, rising and falling from heaven to an inner hell.
People react differently to change. Some people live for change. Others like to have a choice in the change. Some people resist change; others are relieved when it is thrust upon them. The most adaptable and flexible people are those with an inner sense core of stability. They handle and enjoy whatever life offers. One Sanskrit text describes this by stating, “Realizing the inner Truth, one can live anywhere.”
Your inner Self is the one changeless principle. When life is swirling around outside of you, your inner Self remains serene and undisturbed. A Sanskrit verse describes this as niralambaya, needing no support. You do not depend on an outer role or identity to prop up your sense of self. Your actions and words come from the changeless inner principle.
The goal of yoga is for you to live in this state. It is already familiar to you, because you get a taste of it at the end of every Svaroopa® yoga class. This inner assurance eliminates any need to defend or protect yourself. It is never affected by stress or hurry. It is the deep experience of your inner Self in every moment.
Once you’ve found it, it fills into the other parts of your life. This inner support becomes tangible in every moment of your day. The real meaning of life comes from your inner Self. This is what yoga gives you. You taste it in Shavasana (Relaxation Pose). It is there in every yoga pose. You can perfect it in meditation. In this way your practice of yoga becomes the perfect preparation for life — you are able to find the changeless principle even in the midst of life’s changes. Then, every change is a celebration of life itself! Do more yoga.