As I read Vedic literature and its various interpretations and reflect upon them, I realise that one of the main tenets of Vedanta is a reflective study of yourself; to eventually join with (yoga) your higher Self – Consciousness. How we view and relate to the world is a key foundation of life. To quote A. Parthasarathy, “It is not the world that distresses you but how you relate to it.”
Another tenet is the deep connect with and reverence for Nature. Which means being in sync with the rhythms of Nature. I realised that something as basic as being connected to Nature - Prakriti - expressed through the rhythms of seasons and the lunar cycle - is something that we urban Indians are quite removed from today. It is not just a connect; it is actually much deeper; it is the feeling of being one with Nature.
Recently I started creating little daily rituals for myself to become more connected with the rhythms of Nature. Things like going up to my terrace early in the mornings and bowing to the rising Sun. It is amazing what a change these simple rituals have made. I started noticing so many types of birds that perch regularly on my terrace. I am more aware of the change in the hues of the Sun in Winter (Hemanta & Shishir) vs. Spring (Basant) vs. Summer (Grishma); how much richer the fragrance of Mogra is at sunrise vs. later in the day… It seems like a small ritual, but I realised it had such a big impact on my wellbeing.
This is my way of staying connected with the rhythms of the day, of my body, and creating these little moments of awareness and very importantly, feeling blessed and surrendering to Nature and its magic and wonder.
I also started fasting between seasons, such an old Indian tradition and so scientific. This ritual of fasting is like a bridge between seasons. It is a pause - a moment to reflect, acknowledge the transition between seasons, a time to give your body and even the mind a break, a pause from the daily routine. I realised I was falling ill much less and feeling a lot lighter and more energetic.
Slowly I have started adding more rituals through the day. Now I close my eyes and stay with my breath at dusk, sometimes just reciting the Gayatri Mantra or lighting a diya or simply just focusing on my breath and the setting Sun. This is my way of staying connected with the rhythms of the day, of my body, and creating these little moments of awareness and very importantly, feeling blessed and surrendering to Nature and its magic and wonder.
Simran Lal
