Wholistic Fitness

Holding a grudge?

It’s easy peasy, ain’t it?

Holding a Grudge is as easy as gossiping…

yet both – Holding a Grudge and Gossiping – are on the podium of the “Do Not Do List” of the yogic/spiritual athlete hit list.  Why?  More on that in a m(om)ment…for now, let’s explore a bit deeper the attraction of holding a grudge…

ilg begins each Wednesday night HP Yoga® Class with the most ancient Prayer known; it is the Prayer of the Five Dhyana Buddha’s.  There is a line in there which is a real stinker for us feeble Seekers along the Higher Way…it goes:

“May All {Beings} live in equanimity,

without too much Attachment or too much Aversion…”

in yogic training,  Attachment has super deep roots, straight from the Buddha, Whom taught that the Practice of Non-Attachment (vairagya) is of the highest priority in Higher Self-cultivation.

Aversion is an even trickier obstacle over which yogis must use Hanumanesque leaps – chronically – in the pursuit of equanimity.  Two quotes come to mind when ilg contemplates Aversion:

“Do not allow past experiences to be imprinted on your mind. Perform asanas each time with a fresh mind and a fresh approach.” B.K.S. Iyengar, “Iyengar, His Life and Work,” p. 499

“Aversion, dvesa, after all, is the flip side of the same coin as attachment. When we resist or resent something, it is because of a remembrance that this thing caused us pain in the past.” Edwin Bryant, “Yoga Sutrays of Patanjali.” p.190

Now, doused spiritually with that Medicine,

Cut back to the whole Grudge thang…ilg is an expert by Direct Experience in holding grudges…and, thank my Spiritual Teachers and Lineage;  have becOMe an even Higher Expert in letting go of all grudges…there is nothing left in ilg to hold a grudge;  been married and divorced 3x,  been paralyzed and been a World Championship athlete,  been super rich in LA and more broke than a Sepulveda Blvd bum 3x,  i’ve had my name in neon lights over Ventura Blvd and have been sued for being called a ‘fraud’…ilg has been named a Satanic Worshiper and a Guru in worldwide media…there ain’t nuthin’ left…

So,  ilg knows a thing or two about how easy it can be to hold a grudge..yet, if our WF sadhana (spiritual practice) is consistent?  and when we fold our legs into pretzels and do what it take to SIT WITH OUR STUFF?   we find an inward kind of miracle whereupon all the tendencies toward gossip and grudging just…well,

dissolve.

Oh,  ilg knows:

Sooooooo many reasons why YOU are PERMITTED a special grant to hold THIS particular grudge, right?

Well, dat’s cool and all…and we are ALL welcome to hold our grudges to the grave, if we wish…

yet,

consider:   holding a grudge has a lot of detrimental effects on our wholeness and our well being… including increased depression, anxiety, and stress.   So,  we must use the Tibetan Mirror Principle and see the Being/Situation causing the root of our grudging holding a mirror right back at us:   Why let anyone who has wronged us have power over us? If we let go of all your grudges,  we’ll gain a clear conscience and enough Cleared energy to enjoy the go(o)d things in life.

As MahaYogi Jesus Taught:

Forgive, forget, be happy!

as ilg closes this Teaching,  an Om So Ti occurred courtesy of Pandora™…read the following  and hear the song from a yogic perspective:

LET GO
by Frou Frou

So, let go
Jump in
Oh well,  what you waiting for?
It’s all right
‘Cause there’s beauty in the breakdown
So let go
Just get in
Oh,  it’s so amazing here
It’s all right…
‘Cause there is beauty in the breakdown…”