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Kino's Yogi Assignment Blog

Challenge Day 8- Yoga is Harmony

No more war. 

But, also, then, no more fighting for peace.

Just peace. 

The Buddha says in the Dhammapada, “Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world; it is appeased by love. This is an eternal Law.”

But, we cannot make peace in the world if we are not at peace with ourselves. There can be no harmony amongst the nations when we are not in harmony with ourselves. Peace cannot be won by endless wars. To the degree to which we have made peace with ourselves, to that degree will we make peace in the world. To the degree that we are at war with ourselves, to that end will we be at war with the world.

I was once at war with myself. I took that war to the world. I fought what I believed was a just fight. As I look back with the perfect vision of hindsight I can see that my antagonism, my willingness to fight came from within. It’s not to say that the people I engaged with were in the right. No, far from it. I still very much believe that they were in the wrong. But, my tactics of warfare harmed myself and many others and failed to achieve meaningful progress.

I myself needed that experience to see clearly and directly just how deeply I was addicted to conflict and competition. I cannot judge others who are on the same path. I can, however, share my own story in the hopes that others might not make the same mistakes as I did. Whatever I share is meant to be like notes on a shared map of the inner journey, kind of like how Waze is a shared direction app made better by all the updates made by users in real time. 

Harmony happens when you are at peace with yourself, when there is no fight between body and mind, when your inner being vibrates in resonance with the cosmic being. That harmony is possible for you, no matter what you’ve done or what has been to you. That harmony is your birthright. The further you are away from living in true harmony, the more motivation you have to switch and adjust course. The question is not whether you are able to live in harmony, but how bad it has to get before you are ready to change direction.

The practice of yoga is magical because it gives instant feedback about your level of inner alignment. The body is honest and never lies. When you move, breathe and think in harmony the practice feels like ease and flow. But when you force, fight and struggle, the practice feels like war. The first step in learning how to live in harmony is learning how to drop the war between you and your body, which is war that produces no winners if its fought until the end. Harmony is a win-win scenario that changes the entire paradigm, for the benefit of all.

The tune of your life can be either a cacophony rumble that sounds like noise or it can be a melodic symphony where every cell of your body vibrates in harmony. The yoga practice is your chance to reset the radio dial to a harmonious song, one that you first hear during the poses and one that ultimately plays in every moment of your life. You can practice yoga and change the world, by learning how to live in harmony with yourself and ultimately all beings. 

Practice along with the Yoga Is Challenge on Omstars

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