I use this “sutra” as often as google maps to help find the right way to respond to situations.
“Maitri karuna mudita pekshanaam sukha-dukha punya apunya vishayanam bhaavanaata chitta prasadanam”
I come from a very large family and my social circle has always been large. During my interactions with so many people throughout my life, some tricky situations have come up, as is the case for most of us! I often reacted to them in ways that were, let us say, very reactive.
What did I feel when my best friend who studied less than me in the 11th standard scored much higher than me? I sulked and resented her.
What happened when a loved one lost her mother to an accident? I got lost in her grief.
What did I do when I saw someone throw garbage on the road? I got angry, blamed society.
How did I react when I see someone half my age, a successful model, very beautiful, is very flexible in yoga, and runs 10km without breaking a sweat? Do you smell something burning? Jealousy!
Thanks to Patanjali Maharshi, I now have this sutra. I use this very often like a google map to help myself find the right way to respond to situations. This sutra says, cultivate the following attitudes towards people:
Friendliness towards happy people, compassion towards unhappy/ suffering people, feeling oneness towards those doing good/meritorious acts, educating and ignoring those who are doing bad/non-meritorious acts.
This sutra helps me deal with my own emotions and reminds me of the right attitude. I think it's like a wise friend, who is always around and gives great advice!
I just think that it is amazing that my life presents me with so many situations daily where I can apply this knowledge practically. And note the word “Cultivate”. Just like a farmer puts in a lot of work to cultivate his crop, I try to be aware of myself and use the power of this sutra to navigate through life.
What does teaching yoga mean to me?
I have been sharing whatever I know of yoga with others immediately after I finished my teacher’s training course. I find it deeply satisfying to conduct yoga sessions. They help me prioritize what is important in my life. I have a high-pressure corporate job with a lot of working hours, but when it comes to hitting the mat to teach a yoga session, I always feel the energy surging from within.
Me being a yoga teacher, no, actually a “yogi” is what keeps life light, meaningful and fun. Because I practise and teach regularly, I am healthy, I can plan my days better and at the end of the sessions, the participants feel light, energetic and invariably have a smile on their faces which makes my day! Another important aspect is that with Sri Sri yoga, I get to let the participants experience all aspects of yoga, which in the modern world is perceived merely as an alternative form of exercise/workout.
I am so grateful to the universe, to my Guru Sri Sri Ravishankar for the opportunity to teach and share what I know with others. To get others started on their own journey of “yoga” is a blessing and an honour.
by Sahithi Katikaneni
A little note: As community conversation facilitators, we believe in giving an individual the autonomy of expression. The views expressed in this piece are the author's own.
