Stay safe and warm out there! Burrr its cold today. I want to share one practice of mine from the Yoga Sutras (an ancient yogic text). This practice in Sanskrit it’s called Pratipaksha Bhavana - pratipaksha means “opposite” and bhavana means “cultivation.” This yogic practice outlined in the Yoga Sutras in which yogis discontinue negative ways of thinking through the discipline of “cultivating the opposite.”

Practice: This practice comes from Plum Village. It relates to the Four Diligences, watering the positive seeds and not the negative seeds that have arisen or not yet arisen. When a song starts playing that we don’t like, we can change the song. If we notice that negative mental states are being watered or triggered, we can consciously change the scene. We don’t push it away - the practice is of awareness. Notice your thought (just like in one point meditation) be aware of it. Then bring your self into the practice of Pratipaksha Bhavana - cultivate the opposite thought. Turning your negative into something positive. Let this be your practice today.

For example: I’m not the biggest fan of snow and shoveling, but the job needed to get done yesterday. I decided to consciously make a practice out of shoveling, instead of complaining about it. With every shovel I said something that I’m grateful for. I ended up enjoying shoveling and it began my day on a positive note.

Everything is a spiritual practice with self awareness.

Much Love,

A