Is Yoga Keeping You Poor? Part 2
My last post was on whether yoga is pulling us out of the “marketplace” and perhaps undermining our efforts at livelihood.
By yoga I mean the physical and meditative practices, I’m not referring to the philosophical/religious Yogic study. Also I think my musings might apply only to certain folks (I’ll say more on that,) in certain environments. My thinking is that a great metaphor is that we humans are like trees or flowers all gorgeous, we manifest-our flowers-differently, colors, scent, height all vary. Each one grows best in different environments with different needs for sun and water. Some plants can grow on edge of cliff on rock! So my thoughts refer to those who may be similar to me and those around me that I”ve observed- that are living in “developed” countries. The latter is important as I’m not addressing poverty that is widespread and systemic such as in third world countries or parts of first world countries for that matter. And in no way is this series meant to blame. In fact if my observations apply to you I truly hope they can be helpful. So please keep that in mind, I am not making generalizations that apply to all or even most.
As a yoga practitioner/teacher of seventeen years-in that time some periods have been less practice of yoga; and sometime daily or several times a week practice. In those years too, I’ve often had a meditation practice, which has varied from more yogic techniques of chakra or mantra meditation to more Buddhist based. In the latter case I’ve attended multiple week long silent Insight meditation retreats. I got the impression that the practices were aiming at developing the “higher” chakras especially ajna the “third eye” chakra. Throughout my education and training-it was emphasized that the upper chakras, say heart “anahata” chakra and up were “better,” more “spiritual.”
In Buddhist tradition the emphasis is on overcoming greed, hatred and delusion. From a chakra standpoint those qualities would seem to correlate to 1st, 3rd, and 2nd (?) chakras respectively; delusion is a bit hard to place. The second chakra is linked with fantasy and escapism as well as sensual desire, so perhaps there. But the third chakra is seen as the root of will and personal power. The root, 1st chakra if imbalanced is associated with clinging, greed and holding on, to things and people.
So the idea was transcendence or overcoming the lower energies.
See Grounding & Manifesting article by Anodea Judith that I mentioned in first part of this series. Also see Gururattana a longtime kundalini yoga teacher who studied with Yogi Bhajan, her article Prosperity: the Path of Manifestation. Both give their reflections on this phenomena.
My current feeling is that certain individuals especially those who are vata types-(see Ayurvedic type test at Banyan Botanicals website,) may almost weaken or attenuate the energy at the lower three chakras by their yoga/meditation practices. Some other common factor besides being a Vata type also are childhood trauma that damaged the first chakra especially. The first chakra damage seems to lead to less energy or dysfunction in the 2nd and 3rd chakras. These three “lower” chakras, from my research via reading, experience and intuition seem vital to being emboidied in the world and being able to care for and support ones-self.
It may be time for longtime yoga practitioners who also have trouble managing and receiving enough money to examine what is going on.
Lets start with an exploration of the first chakra. I’ll discuss that in my next post. Share– your comments via tiny link at top right of post, they are very welcome and I will reply.
Namaste, Kala
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