Dear Sir, Myself Ankit, 24 years old, a graduate in Yoga. I feel that reading, talking is not as real as living it. My recent quest is on love. I often hear that love is freedom, and not possessing, that is love. When I live this freedom in myself and am afraid to loose close ones, it’s painful. Then I understand that love is also sacrifice. But some sacrifices are not worth it. I don’t know if I can really understand this loop of thought. Please help me understand. Kind regards
—Ankit , India
Dear Ankit,
You begin by saying that you are “graduate in Yoga.” I am not certain of the accuracy of that statement, because being a true “graduate” of all the Sciences of Yoga would mean that you have become fully liberated and achieved oneness with God, for “yoga” means union with God! And of course, God IS love.
I’m guessing that you, like most people in the world, myself included, are on a journey of some length (long or short) ahead of us in order to achieve the fullness of what “yoga” really means. The good news is that to practice yoga is to be filled with love and joy, all along the way. The more you practice the truest form of yoga, which is deeper and deeper meditation, the less pain you will feel on any level and the more your heart will open to divine, unconditional love for everyone and everything! You’ll also find that you are not the one loving, rather it is God’s love flowing through you, and that is blissful, indeed!
You mention the loss of close ones. Of course, that can be painful! But remember that everyone leaves this material world at one time or another. The pain is not in the fact that someone dies, but in the ATTACHMENT we hold for that person. Another important part of yoga is to let go of all attachments, but this process must be done gradually; eventually this brings great joy and freedom also. Give it all to God. That’s where everything and everyone comes from anyway!
The best kind of sacrifice must be based in Divine Love. If we really want good things to happen for us, we may have to struggle or make sacrifices in order to make them possible for us—an example: going to school for many years in order to get a job we would really enjoy, thrive in, and help others too. It would be worth it!
And yes, you are right. Taking action is always the best way to learn the lessons you need to learn from life, rather than just studying or talking about them. For example, it’s so much better to actually meditate deeply and daily than to talk about what a good idea it might be to meditate.
You are still young and life has much to teach you through yoga and to give you through the power of Divine, Unconditional Love. Embrace life and the path of yoga/meditation, and ask God and Guru to guide you all the way. Then it will happen!
