Five powerful guidelines to get you through these complicated times
These are some crazy times. So many amazing things happening in this world, the stuff we know now that we didn’t know before with science and age old wisdom coming together, and technology making the world smaller so we can truly feel the Oneness of humanity so as to get pulled out of ourselves and into the plight of others to do something about it. On the other hand, there is so much pain, anger, and division, and arguable evidence that maybe we don’t care so much about each other.
Which is it?
The answer, looking through a binary mindset, is limiting and unhelpful. And divisive and hurtful. There is no one right, no one wrong. Multiple truths can be held simultaneously and still be truths. To understand this is to drop judgment and pick up compassion and account-ability, which elevates us as a whole.
Speaking of non-binary mindset, a master yogi who elevated so many lives and also who turned out to be a harmful man (the struggle is real, but try and set this aside…) said of these times back in the 1970’s:
1/3 [of humanity] will go mad, 1/3 will die, and 1/3 will wake up.
This quote by Yogi Bhajan recently came up in conversation amongst a couple of my cohorts, to which we asked ourselves:
Which do you choose?
I’ve been thinking about this as I simultaneously considered the person that said it.
The world can be incredibly overwhelming. Even the privileged among us walk around with crazy schedules and struggle to be present enough to fully see and enjoy the moment for what it is and make decisions that could mitigate further madness. Of course, madness can mean a lot of things.
Speaking of quotes, they are prolific. We love them. They are bits of wisdom that we share or place where we can see them to remind us that we aren’t alone, to encourage us, and to help us move into a more empowered mindset. We feel seen. They make us think. They help us make sense of situations. Just one quote can shift our lens through which we see. Many are affirmations that we spread to elevate each other. We start and end stories with them to drive a message home. They connect us. They give us options. Sometimes we end our email signature with a quote to let others know what we value as a part of our personal brand.
Waking up from our trance (transc-ending)
More mysterious are what’s called sutras. They are aphorisms, powerful, bite sized bits of wisdom that come from spiritual traditions. They convey messages that prompt us to think at a higher level. They cultivate concentration, help us understand the complexities of life, and illuminate the mind. They are there to guide us in action towards a more meaningful life gained through the lens of unconditional love, something we strive for deep in our hearts to make us whole. They help us to understand ourselves to understand others.
You might have heard of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras; there are 195 of them; sutras, that is. Well worth the study if you’re thinking of putting in the time. But I am here to share with you something more bite-sized today. The Kundalini Yoga tradition brings you Five Sutras of the Aquarian Age. This [Aquarian] Age refers to an era of light battling dark, where the vertical hierarchical system of access and opportunity works to become horizontal, more equal and accessible. It is helped by technology. It doesn’t seem so right now, but this is the battle, isn’t it? So much information at our fingertips, and yet so much limitation. So much illumination yet so much darkness. The information we hone in on seems to push binary thinking - you’re either on this side or that - dividing us further and creating more confusion, overwhelm, and anger.
But also they give us knowledge. Opportunity to see truth on both sides and come together. This is what we might call waking up.
The ability to discern and understand each other is, and will be, our greatest superpower.
That’s what The Five Sutras are about. While some sutras are easy to get, others may bring up more questions for you. Within those questions contain answers. The key is to follow your questions with patience and an open mind, willing to learn and let the answers unfold. This is your journey.
When these 5 Sutras were first handed to me, it took years for me to understand some of them. That’s how they work. They grow inside of you and guide you, even when you’re not sure what they mean. As you experience them, the ah-ha moments come to bring you more clarity and strength that comes from understanding. Enjoy them. They are magnificently powerful.
Love, Savitree