Vyadhi – the First Obstacle to Spiritual Practice
Anyone who has been on the path of spiritual growth knows that obstacles are part of the journey. We all have things that get in the way of practicing meditation, yoga, prayer, or any other form of connecting with the Divine. For that matter, obstacles are part of life, and if we don’t want them to hinder our endeavors, it’s helpful to recognize what they are and what we can do to overcome them.
According to the sage Patanjali, author of the Yoga Sutras and preeminent yoga philosopher, there are 9 of these obstacles to our spiritual awakening. The first one is the most obvious: Vyadhi, or physical illness.
It’s so obvious that any kind of physical disease or injury can be an obstacle to practice that we may take a cursory look at this and move on to the next obstacle. But it’s worth a closer look.
History Has Its Eyes on You and Me: Insights from Hamilton
Like millions of others over the 4th of July weekend, I watched – for the first time! – the Broadway hit musical, Hamilton. I knew it would be great, but had no idea how much it would impact me.
Beyond the amazing music, choreography, set, and costumes, so many themes, both personal and spiritual, emerged for me from this theatrical experience. It touched deep emotions and issues that resurfaced from this story about Alexander Hamilton’s life.
From Soul-Suffering to Soul-Satisfying
I think this post will be a bit meandering and not perfectly composed, but my spirit has something to say, so I’m sayin’ it. There’s a lot of soul-suffering and it’s time to shift to soul-satisfying.
It’s National Mental Health Day (October 10th), and I’m reflecting on what I see in our nation and our world. I could talk about anxiety or depression, the epidemic of loneliness, and mental health tips to feel better.
But all I can think about is our souls.
