Why Do We Want to Find the Diamond in the Rough?
There are many roads that all lead to the same point, Love, that one might take in life, but the way of unconditional Love is very narrow and sharp like the edge of a diamond. Once you accept the Truth of Love in your heart that guides all your actions. To stray from the path in the distraction of pleasure for the ego is to tear at your own connection to Love. Obviously, these effects are painful. For a moment of pleasure, we end up spending hours if not longer in a state of guilt or worse, shame. By getting lost in the details that diffuse the brilliance of Love, I avoid shining a light on myself, which would reveal all the good and bad. I am avoiding exposure and vulnerability that might save me from some of the rough parts of life, because then I might be able to find some answers to what is truly preventing me from reflecting the True light of Love. Learning to let the outside into see my heart is the only way that I have found the treasures that contain the answers for me. These diamonds, which shine the light of Love on my less than good qualities, eventually polish away the scum of my ego in the light of Truth, so that I might shine a brilliant light as well.
Have there ever been times in your life when an augment where said some not so nice things caused you to take note of an aspect of yourself that was not shining the brilliance of Love? Did that help you to learn to be a better, more Loving person as a result?
How Do We Find the Diamond in the Rough?
One step further is learning that there is good in everything that we experience though it might be very deep in life's rough. Keep in mind that that conversation might be helping the people involved find answers to something that is really important to them. It might be a way for them to celebrate the joy of life. It does show that they are actively engaged in living life, which is always good. Now we can see a beautiful diamond, reflecting Love's light. “Smile beauty see.”
Another dimension of experiencing a situation in Love is understanding the wisdom that it can impart to ourselves and everyone. That conversation or song might have some words in it that seems undeniably unloving to you, but underneath all of that rough, can you see a greeter wisdom that you are being taught? A test of patience is always present for me it seems. It is very hard to not react in anger without intentionally practicing acceptance, but situations like this always bring that to surface for me. Though, over time this rough area of my own experience has started to become lost in the light of Love. Beyond that ever present lesson, we might see someone acting courageous in the face of their own rough circumstances. Two diamonds that would otherwise wound be obscured if we just focused on the rough. “Treasured wisdom for everybody!”
“Smile accept, smile see beauty, treasured wisdom for everybody!”
How Vajrasana can Help Make Us Diamond Detectors!
In Vajrasana, we can refine ourselves into a treasured diamond that will reflect the light of Love, enjoying the qualities it allows us to take on. By learning to let go of our ego's muck that hides our true Self's reflectivity, we find the peace of mind to practice “Smile accept, smile see beauty, treasured wisdom for everybody!” :-)
Vajrasana's Benefits to Health and Happiness
- It is great asana for meditation, concentration, and pranayama (controlled breathing).
- It elevates the lungs, aiding in their expansion.
- Allows for a stable and calm mind
- Cures indigestion, gas, and constipation
- Helps cure varicose veins
- Increases circulation in the lower back, buttock, thighs, knees, calf muscles, heels and the ankles
- Strengthens the lower back
- Alleviates back pain, sciatica, and lordosis
- Corrects Potts disease or spondlyitis
- Aids with urinary disorders
- Works toward weight loss
- Strengthens the thigh muscles
- Helpful for arthritis
- Relieves knee pain
Yogacharini Maitreyi, an established yogi from India who does self and life enhancement coaching, has a great article about the benefits, mythology, and technique for Vajrasana, “As Sharp As a Diamond.”
http://arkaya.net/classical-arkaya-yoga/yoga-articles/as-sharp-as-a-diamond/
Cautions
- Do not practice this pose if you have severe joint pain or a knee injury.
- Be aware of your own flexibility and mindful of how much time you can practice this pose without risking sever pain. Increase time gradually according to how your flexibility develops.
- Make sure that you have expert guidance before practicing anything that you are unsure of.
Modifications with props
- If you can not sit all the way down place a folded blanked between you heels, and between your buttock and the floor.
- If your ankles are hurting you, place a blanket between your ankles and the ground.
Technique for Vajrasana
- Coming onto the mat, bend at the knees until your buttock is sitting on your heals. Your big toes should be touching. If this causes pain in the knees, see the above modification 1. If your ankles are hurting, see modification 2. Place your hands face down on your knees unless you have another mudra (hand position) that you prefer.
- Begin to inhale and exhale slowly, focusing the mind on the breathe. Let thoughts drift by as you maintain focus on the breathe.
- Take as many breathes this way as you would like. I usually do fifty.
- Recommended feel calm and collected practice: As you breath try thinking to yourself the following words with each breath. “Smile accept” inhale. “1” exhale. “smile see beauty” inhale. “2” exhale. “Treasured wisdom” inhale. “3” exhale. “for every body!” inhale. “4” exhale. I usually continue for 50 breathes or as many as I feel I can do.
- Note: Sometimes I am lucky to focus on the counting alone, and sometime I find the counting alone more fitting. Remember these are only recommendations.
- Smiling will help relax your mind and body relax even more.
- Remember, be thankful to yourself for giving taking such a great opportunity to grow both mentally and physically. Visualize all the Love and happiness that you will experience as a result of this practice. After clearing my mind by practicing pranayama or controlled breathing and meditation, I am able to clear the cluttered thoughts I had just before the practice. I have a more intentional focus on all my activities after the practice, resulting in greater productivity and pleasure in the activity.
- Caution: Do not practice this next part if you are particularly stressed out today.
- However, If you are ambitious today, and would like a chance to grow a little more, try leaving your door open and windows open if possible. You might live with others, have a noisy street, or neighbors outside.
- Simply practice allowing and accepting. Let it be without reacting, focusing on your breathe and mantra words if you are using them. “Smile accept.”
- And then see if you can find the beauty in the sounds of life that are going on around you. If nothing else, even if it just sounds like noise, like a screaming baby, it is a sign that life is trying its best to live, asking for what it thinks it needs. “Smile see beauty.”
- Finally, see if there is a lesson within this experience for you like patience of a calm mind despite sounds that might bother you. “Treasured wisdom for everybody.”
- Effects: What was once seen as bad, becomes good.
- Reason: Throughout the day, there are plenty of conversation, music, TV shows, etc. that I would like to judge as bad or distasteful. However, by practicing levels of appreciation in this way, I am able to find the diamonds that reflect the light of Love, which the rough of life surrounding these situations have buried within them. I show these diamonds to others through my compassion to a situation or person that would seem bad to me if I was judging them or it. This allows me and whoever else is involved to benefit from the good action I choose to take, more than likely causing them to choose a good action in turn. If you treat someone or thing as bad, they will likely be bad, but if you treat them as good, they will likely be good.
- Slowly stand back up, smile, and go on about your day. :-)
If there is a topic you are passionate about or question that you would like answered about how to Love ourselves better, I would love to here it. Please write a comment about it here or on Face Book in the "For the Love of Self" discussion area.
Thank you so much for reading “How to Love Yourselves by Finding the Diamond in the Rough” today! I have learned focus, appreciation, and positive growth from this experience. I hope that it helps you better your experiences in life as well. Change your thoughts, change your life, and reflect the beauty of Love all around so that others might see the Light! “Smile accept, smile see beauty, treasured wisdom for everybody!” Have a brilliant day! Love, Aaron Szczurek :-)