As I write this, I realize that most posts on my blog are about topics close to the heart and not per se about yoga poses.
However, living in a way that does not damage yourself or others is part of ahimsa, or non-violence, which is just one of the 5 yama’s (or ‘do’s’ ) as laid out by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra so I’m going to consider this article and most others are being part of a larger yogic picture.
Compassion for our beautiful planet and its inhabitants has been on my mind a lot lately, for many reasons.. maybe it’s the awesome summer we are experiencing in the Netherlands and the concern that this might not just be luck but a sign of global warming and maybe also as I become more and more aware of the need to stand up for what I believe in, even it feels uncomfortable.
One of my recent bugbears has been the sheer volume of wastage in our lives. It’s great to have nice new things but what about the old things that we throw away? Do they biodegrade or get recycled or will they be hanging around for years to come, cluttering up the environment? What about the resources consumed in the production of new things? Especially those items we use for a short period and then discard like cheap or fashion clothing?
I saw the below film a short while ago and it hit home to me. I decided to make my own challenge of not buying new clothes for three months. I’ve already blown it – within the first month – with a pair of trousers and a dress – but it has at least made me much more conscious about whether I actually need what I purchase, and it has pushed me to put things I almost purchased back on the rack.
Take a look at the film, in Dutch…