Belief in Practice

Yoga has taught me how to have mutually uplifting work relationships. Thankfully, my primary work relationship is with my teacher and yoga mentor, who models clear, respectful, application of the yamas in her personal and professional life. It is so gratifying to work with a clear, shared, moral code.

I also manage Rooted Landscaping with Kevin. It's interesting comparing the two experiences. In Rooted, there's more anonymity with most of our customers, because I correspond with them via email but haven't met them in person the way I would if I taught them yoga or on a retreat. Also, there isn't the obvious philosophical component as there is in yoga (though permaculture principles certainly overlap). However, Kevin and I work to apply the same yamas to this work as we would to any other part of our life.

For those of you unfamiliar with the yamas, they are a set of guidelines put forth by Patanjali to guide aspirants towards the state of yoga. They are:

Ahimsa -- non-harming
Satya -- truth telling
Asteya -- non-stealing
Brahmacarya -- respecting energies
Aparigraha -- non-grasping

Applying the yamas continually reminds me to obviously not harm a client but also to not harm *myself*. It's easy to run yourself into the ground when you own your own business. Working endlessly, not having professional and personal boundaries, is unsustainable. To be fully present, I have to actively create time for rest, play, and replenishment.

Telling the truth also means not telling white lies. We are all taught to people please and there is even common thought to white wash in professional communication. Of course, we all have to exercise judgment, but I am continually taught in yogic theory to be honest. Honest about my time, availability, and clarity in managing expectations.

Non-stealing. Absolutely. Offering transparent estimates so that people understand where their resources go. Also, non-stealing from myself! It's easy to work a lot and underestimate your labor hours. Running a small business for several years has shown us how easy it is to work hard and for free! So not stealing from a customer, but also not from ourselves.

Brahmacarya has to do with sexual energies, abstaining from encounters that simply release your life force without meaning or connection, and making sure that every interaction is mutually uplifting. In regards to professional life, I reflect on the idea of making encounters mutually uplifting. Seeing the best in others and offering my best self.

Non-grasping. Not reaching for every job, not feeling a sense of desperation. We've found we do the best work when we're mindful, not over-extended, and have a manageable schedule.

This time of year, the landscaping business takes the majority of my time and energy. Sometimes that can feel overwhelming. Increasingly, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to apply these principles. It's easy to apply the yamas when we feel like our circumstances are conducive. When we're stressed, it's simple to fall into default patterns that might not raise us into our higher selves. Demanding periods are *exactly* the time to meditate consistently and look at every interaction as an opportunity to practice yoga. Jai!