24 October, 2014

A Yogi’s Virtues: Integrity

When we think of someone we know who has integrity, we think of someone who means what she says, and who’s words and actions are aligned with their core beliefs and values. This characteristic is one that we yogis aspire to. It’s a virtue that takes courage and a knowledge of who we truly are – at the heart of our being. When we hold an unshakable inner-knowing of our truth, living with integrity comes naturally. If we’ve done the inner-work, so to speak, we are more in touch with our values than we were before. This is a blessing – a beautiful gift that yoga gives us when we practice with focus and devotion. 

It is forever a journey – forever a process, and that is the beauty of living a deeply meaningful life. We get to change and evolve and live our truths as we travel along the path. Along this path of becoming more and more who we truly are (the path of the yogi) we are sure to stumble and fall. That’s part of the territory. Yet, the further we go down this path, the more we get to tap into our deepest inner-truths. Yoga is one of the best teachers and mentors if we want to live a life of true integrity. 

What’s more – the further we go, the more likely we’ll be challenged – because now we’re no longer living lives that skim the surface of the vast oceans of our souls. We are swimming in deep waters and asking big questions: 

Who am I?

Why am I here?

What are my deepest truths?

When we answer these questions on a daily basis (and don’t be alarmed if the answers change), it becomes easier to live at our highest potential from moment to moment. Instead of seeking approval in our relationships or from society, we act from a place of self-awareness. 

The more we practice yoga, the more we develop an intimate relationship with our heart. We develop a sort of sensitization to how happy we feel from one moment to the next. This sensitivity can help us in times when we struggle to live in alignment with our integrity.

The more we walk our talk, the better it feels. What a gift this is – to be able to rely upon our bodies for guidance!

If and when you struggle with a question of integrity in relation to a particular life situation, try the following practice:

1.  Get comfortable and take a seat – as if you were sitting in meditation.

2.  Close your eyes and take several deep breaths. Allow yourself to come into your center.

3.  With your eyes closed, ask your inner-self – your highest-self – which action would give you deep peace or deep happiness in this situation.

4.  Imagine yourself acting in this way and see how it feels in your body. Feel the sensations. Do they feel expansive or contracted? If the answer is expansive, that is your integrity speaking. Act from there.

Keep this practice in your yogi’s tool box as you journey through your life. The answers lie within. All you have to do is listen.