We are now beginning our segment on “asteya” translated as non-stealing. Aparigraha is one of the 5 Yamas or restraints of a yoga student. The Yamas are primarily focused on how we interact with others, including the things that we obtain.
In the material sense, asteya is also translated as non-stealing. Alongside, aparigraha or non-attachment, these two Yamas parallel two of our Biblical Ten Commandments: “Though shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not covet.”
On the surface level, stealing can cause external harm to the person you’re stealing from and cause chaos within the community. On the internal level, coveting can cause internal harm and chaos within ourselves.
I want to start with one of my favorite stories. In a science fiction future, there is a new train run on a secret energy source. It has almost unlimited energy, and appears to runs cleanly and smoothly without ever stopping. It’s energy source is as well a guarded secret as the recipe for Coca-Cola. A group of rival train companies, secretly gather to infiltrate the train and steal their energy source.
They plan for months, pretending to be employees and customers. Finally under cover of the dark moon they infiltrate the train. On board notice an odd energy of tiredness and sunkennes in the employees. It’s not what they expected from their rivals, but they don’t let the thought distract them from their mission. They covertly bypass the security protocols, overwhelming the guard at the front of the train. There is a door quietly humming with a cold heat, a sense of a glow emanating from inside… as they open the latch, they find what looks like blue coals. They are both hot and cold to the touch. Excitedly they fill their bags grasping every last of the cold, blue coals. The train slowly comes to a stop. Filled with glee, they run off the train.
As it turns out, those cold, blue coals were radioactive waste. What a blessing for this rival company. Since they’d developed a successful venture on the waste, long-suffering they hadn’t the forbearance to remove the waste themselves.
I want to focus our meditation on letting go of our belongings and attachments. Letting go of our nuclear waste, our insecurities that might energize and poison us. Letting go of our possessions that compel us to earn more to buy more, or take what isn't freely offered. Releasing our grasp, our desire to steal.
Have you ever coveted or stolen? Were there consequences later?
Have you ever been stolen from? Were you grateful later?
What would you need, in your heart, to not covet or grasp? What would you need in your heart to not steal, or grasp at things?
Are there times in your life when you feel particularly prone to grasping? Times when you feel very content?
Let’s focus our meditation today on gratitude and abundance.
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