“A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other people, living and dead, And that I must exert myself in order to give in the full measure I have received and am still receiving.”
~ Albert Einstein
Asteya, or nonstealing, calls us to live with integrity, equanimity and reciprocity. If we are living with fears and lies, our dissatisfaction with ourselves and our lives leads us to look outside and exhibit behaviors such as a tendency to steal what is not rightfully ours. We steal from others, we steal from the earth, we steal from the future, and we steal from ourselves. We steal from our own opportunity to grow ourselves into the person who has a right to have the life they want. This is rooted in the scarcity mindset believing that ~there is never enough, more, more more and what have you done for me lately.
Asteya is the recognition of the value of life we have received by using all our talents and possibilities for our own good, for our families and communities we live in and the through this process awakening to our life’s deeper meaning.
Espresso Shot GUIDED MEDITATION – BALANCED GIVING AND RECEIVING
- Hold the hands, slightly cupped, in front of the solar plexus, with the palms facing upward.
- The forearms are parallel to the earth.
- The hands pulse slightly away from each other with each inhalation, and rest back toward each other on each exhalation.
- Relax the shoulders back and down, with the spine naturally aligned.
- If your comfortable close your eyes or look down at a point in front of you.
- As you hold the Hastaphula mudra, take several natural breaths to attune to all the feelings and sensation evoked by this gesture.
- Notice how your breath is gently directed into your solar plexus, allowing you to attune more deeply to your center of personal power and energy.
- With each inhalation, sense gentle warmth radiating outward from the solar plexus, and with each exhaling breath, allow this area to soften inward and rest.
- Take several breaths to sense your inhalation and exhalation lengthening evenly, cultivating a sense of balanced giving and receiving at all levels of your being.
- Begin by reflecting on your balance of giving and receiving within your financial dealings. Ask yourself if there is a natural fairness and integrity between that which you give and that which you receive.
- With your inhalation, visualize yourself receiving all you need to support your life journey, and as you exhale, sense your natural reciprocity, giving with fairness and generosity.
- Take several breaths to reflect on your level of balance within your relationships. Ask yourself if there is a natural fairness of giving and receiving in terms of your investment of quality time and emotional energy.
- With your inhalation, visualize the abundant love and support you receive and as you exhale, affirm your ability to share love and friendship wholeheartedly.
- Now take several breaths to reflect on the balance of giving and receiving within your community, sensing your level of natural fairness in relation to all those that contribute to your well being.
- With your inhalation, open to receive the support of your community, and as you exhale, affirm your intention to reach out to serve with an open heart, especially to those that are most in need.
- Now, sense your level of balance giving and receiving within the natural world, reflect on your level of gratitude for everything you receive in your in relation with your natural surroundings.
- With your inhalation, recognize nature’s bounty and beauty, and as you exhale envision yourself returning the gift by consciously supporting the natural world’s inherent harmony.
- Now, take some time to sense the even flow of your breathing and your natural balance of giving and receiving within all your interactions and ativities.
- Affirm your integrity, repeating the following three times, aloud or silently:
- Through balanced giving and receiving
- I live in complete integrity.
- Slowly release the gesture, taking several breaths to affirm your natural fairness.
- When you are ready, open your eyes, returning slowly and gently, affirming your ability to balance giving and receiving.
Namaste! Till next post featuring Curried Tofu Potato Aloo,
Blessings to all…
In Gratitude,
Jan Marie
Eating your Dosha!!
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