There is a prevailing mindset in our present culture that to be civilized and to be a useful member of the society, it means that we must be in control of our lives, we must take charge of our future, and we must ensure the predictability of the consequences of our actions. Because of this dominant mindset, we tend to think of whatever is wild as a danger. The unpredictable is risky. The unknown threatens our safety.
We have built so much fear around uncertainty that we no longer allow ourselves and others to be wild. We repress our heart's desires while dominating others for what we perceive to be our gain. We use our time and energy around blindly acquiring to no satisfaction three things in the name of our refusal to be wild: money, sex, and power. It's a trap. Many people are stuck in these lower chakras and do not get to move up. In our obsession to be in control of others, we've lost the wildness that exists within ourselves. The first three chakras, muladhara, swadhisthana, and manipura chakras, are energy centers that address our relationship with money, sex, and power. When we do standing, hip opening, and twisting asanas respectively, we address these issues. As yogis, it is our goal to be happy, to be free, to be wild, and to give others and allow others the same. The mantra "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu" in a way is a pledge to wildness. "May all beings everywhere be happy and free" acknowledges that it is not in the interest of anyone for us to dominate others or use others or control others. The mantra is a promise to ourselves that we are going to break free from the traps of misusing money, sex, and power. The mantra is an ongoing practice of keeping our wildness and that of others'. The mantra reminds us that if we wish others well, then we must wildly let go of controlling others.
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March 2020
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