Moderation in Yoga And Goal Achivement

by Anonymous

Yoga emphasises on moderation in everything. How does this helps one to achieve the goals one want to achieve in life?

Answer

Here we are dealing with two concepts, one is practicing moderation and other is about achieving perfection in your work to achieve your goals in life.

Yoga emphasises moderation in everything you do, but it also urges you to work effectively and achieve perfection in whatever you do. Achieving perfection in your desired field will lead you to realise your goals in life.

Moderation with respect to yoga.

Yoga aspirant is always advised to practice moderation in his daily habits in eating, sleeping, drinking, exercise and recreation. He does everything in balance, neither too less nor too much.

Extremes of any thing are to be avoided. Moderation can be better understood if we consider about indulging in pleasures or partaking of things more than what is required. When you are not greedy to satisfy your senses, your mind can be more focused to achieve your goals in life. Yoga practice will make you more aware and get you out of ignorance so that you do not waste time and energy in relishing the pleasures of the senses.

You can better understand the concept of moderation by this example. Suppose, your favorite food is lined up in front of you. If you practice moderation, you should eat in moderation, eat only as much as required to satisfy your hunger and not eat driven by your greed.

Similarly moderation also needs to be practiced when doing yoga. You must build up your practice gradually and do not try to achieve perfection by doing excess of yoga as it can harm your body. Moderation is required even in learning yoga, as you cannot suddenly start doing advance asanas or pranayama all at once.

Hence by moderation, we mean following a balanced approach in whatever thoughts we think or actions we do in life. Yoga is a moderation of our day to day conduct and behavior. For instance, to speak in a moderate manner is a great challenge for most of us.

The Yoga of Action : Karma Yoga
However the concept of moderation does not mean that you do not make efforts to achieve your goals in life. For achieving your goals in life, moderation is required in your attitude but all efforts must be done to achieve the aim. One must strive to have a well defined goals in life and yoga practice will help to achieve such goals. With yoga you achieve the goals with hard work, dedication and with true spirituality. True spirituality leads to increased awareness and wisdom, and will lead to ways and means to achieve all your goals.

The concept of Karma Yoga does not mean that we abandon the action expected from us. We are however duty bound to do our duty. Essence of Karma Yoga is to do your job perfection, without expectations of a reward. Perfection in work is also a kind of worship. Do your work as service to God or humanity. Not doing the assigned duty due to any fear or laziness is not expected from a Yogi.


How Yoga will help you to achieve your goals?

Yoga means to have a more focused and balanced approach which will help to:

~ work for perfection
~ work without any fear of failure or reward
~ work selflessly without giving any consideration to success/ failure or rewards
~ work without any conflict between our core values and realisation of our goals
~ work without ignoring your peace of mind, health, family life etc.
~ work with a definite plan and give proper rest to the body
~ striking the best work-life balance
~ manage your time
~ work without any guilt
~ work for self development

The true and proper renunciation of action is giving up of selfishness and attachment while performing one’s obligatory duties. The defect in Karma is not in the action itself but in attachment and expectation of a reward.


Gita says "Perform action, O Arjuna, being steadfast in Yoga, abandoning attachment and
balanced in success and failure! Evenness of mind is called Yoga."