Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Namaskar and Merry Christmas Eve,

All of you have such a wide variety of opinions. This leads to healthy debates as to what success really is. Then, we have, what is happiness? Finally, we have the question of money and how it is related to happiness and success.

Let's look at money. Most of us wish we did not need it, but we do. Money is required for food, clothing, heat, shelter and so on. Is anyone selfish for needing money? No, because all of us require a certain amount of money to live. Otherwise, we will be homeless and some of us had better move to a warm climate for winter.

Parell is correct, success is happiness. Yet, how do you hold onto happiness or success?

1. Accept what you are doing in the present. Do not fight it. Do your personal best work, right now.

2. The results of doing your personal best will give you inner peace and you will find your true purpose in life. The underlying purpose within each of us is realized when we calm mind chatter with meditation, pranayama, or both.

3. You must accept another person's right to think differently than you do. Many people have different beliefs about what success is, but this is not right or wrong. It is only a different belief from your own.

Each person is entitled to a different opinion. It can do no harm to listen to different opinions and viewpoints. When we try to suppress outside opinions, what have we become? An intolerant Yogi who insults others in the name of Yama or Niyama should go back to Patanjali's writings and read the Yoga Sutras again.

Happy Holidays to All of You.

Namaste,

Paul