Yoga is not just about ability , it is also about stability and stickability - Yogacharini Maitreyi
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Moolam means root and adhar means foundation. How deep the foundation of a building needs to be is dependent on how tall the building is going to be as well as the quality of the soil it roots into. Other factors like number of pillars, where they are positioned and other weight bearing factors also come into play. The higher one wants to rise, the deeper and more stable the foundation needs to be. And usually this is the part that is neglected.
This is important to understand with respect to our energetic system as well. Somehow the root, stability and building consistency are considered boring, compared to the erratic creativity that is glorified. However this chakra when balanced gives us a sense of stability and safety and helps us rise higher into who we truly are.
Physical stability
This is seen by a hardiness that the person has innately. This can also be cultivated. This does not mean one needs to be a body builder. It simply means one has the energy to do ones dharma and not get bogged down by challenges that one needs to face. Dharma is usually translated as duty, however I like to see it as that which we must do to maintain cosmic order. This also means fulfilling our human roles. So we make healthy lifestyle choices where the body can rest and repair and build strength rather than dissipating our systems through wrong lifestyle habits and addictions. We learn to honour the blessing of being given a human body this lifetime. One will tap into healthy financial models of win win win, where the environment is also included in the plan.
Financial stability
One learns to be self sufficient and cultivate a healthy relationship with money. Money is a more tangible form of energy. It is the mind that decides what money is used for, like a knife - to cook or kill. One learns to tap into the cosmic womb to partake of that nourishment and abundance, while respecting the earth and all her life forms.
Emotional stability
Despite all the wealth and comforts, if one cannot self soothe and learn to resolve conflict within, there will be no peace. The nervous system will be wired to react rather than relaxed enough to respond and resolve. Hence a base line of emotional stability is needed for holistic success. Unresolved emotions will keep distorting the lens with which we see the world. The more the layers of unresolved emotions, the more our perception of a present situation gets coloured by them. This in turn will create more misperception and misunderstanding
Mental stability
In the baghvat gita, Sri Krishna says Samatvam Yoga Uchyathe. Samathvam is even, balanced state. Uchyathe is said to be and Yoga is union of the individual consciousness with the cosmic consciousness. Swami Shivananda, has written about this yoga of equanimity where he describes what are the qualifications that one needs to have in order to achieve this state of equanimity and he gives advice to serious sadhakas on how to put these teachings into practice:
“An aspirant who treads the path to Samatvam must make every effort to acquire the following essential qualities: Viveka, discrimination; vairagya, dispassion; shadsampat, the six virtues (shama, mental calmness and control; dama, restraint of the senses; uparati, sense withdrawal or pratyahara; titiksha, endurance; shraddha, faith and samadhana, mental balance); and an intense desire for liberation, mumukshutva. In order to posses the virtue of Samatvam, he will also need to dedicate himself to steadying the mind every moment of his yoga career...”
Spiritual stability
Spirituality is not about psychic powers, but using ones powers and energy wisely and for the good of all. This is reflected not only in yogic texts but also in the bible:
Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Cultivating equanimity by committing
Equanimity does not mean one is a pushover or gets taken for a ride. One is able to state one's boundaries and cultivate this equanimity which leads to stability. This is not the work of a few days but a lifetime or lifetimes of commitment and practice for some. In the beginning, slowing down to become sure footed and stable might be good. Stability or alignment of the wheels is necessary before picking up speed. Through consciously slowing down, one can speed up one's evolution. One will feel the connection to something beyond our limited personality and then one will become the expanse.