Yoga helps you discover your own truth.

 The significance of a new year is about renewal, restarting, 
  refreshing your intentions and so many other 're' words!

  
   Seriously though, it's a rare person who does not think about 
  how they might do things differently. After all this is the 
  time that people make all sorts of REsolutions for weight loss, 
  shape change, relationships and so on.
           
   Yoga helps you discover your own truth. But what about what 
  others say or do? How do you respond to all that?
  
   Let me tell you what I mean.
   
   If you're a serious yogi, then I guarantee you'll want to pay 
  attention to this one.
   
   Ever heard of Socrates? Probably have,   
   Socrates lived in the century BEFORE the 'common era' (which 
  some people call BC).
  
   Here's a man who could, you'll see, even be credited with a 
  way to speak with compassion and the truth in a NON-VIOLENT 
  way.
  
   These days you simply could NOT deny that the world we live in 
  is so filled with violence. It's not just in countries that 
  have civil unrest or despotic leaders either.
  
   Violence is everywhere. It's in the hearts and minds of 
  everyone to some degree. And it gets reflected by our words, 
  thoughts and actions.
    
   You know, there are times when you stand as judge and jury in 
  your own mind berating yourself. (We all do it to some extent!)
  
   When it comes to yoga, it's a great thing to examine ALL that 
  you do through some useful filters.
  
   The first major way we learn to do that with yoga is to listen 
  to the body.
  
   If you're experiencing a violent moment in your practice -
  we'll call that PAIN or struggle - then you learn eventually 
  how to respond by being less violent and adjusting your body 
  and pose to create a better outcome. 
  
   That can take a long time to get right by the way ...
   ... Sometimes years.      

   But there's ANOTHER important area of our lives that I 
  hinted about before.

   It's the stuff you think and then the stuff you SAY.

   This brings us to Socrates again.

   The story goes that the great philosopher came upon an 
  acquaintance who said excitedly, "Socrates, do you know what I 
  just heard about one of your students?"

   "Hold on a moment," Socrates replied. "Before telling me 
  anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the 
  Triple Filter Test."

   Hmmmm ... what's that? I can hear you say!

   Socrates continued "Before you talk to me about my student, it 
  might be a good idea to take a moment and reflect on what 
  you're going to say ... "
     
  ---------------------------------------------------------------  
   The first filter is Truth.  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------   
   
   "Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell 
  me is true?"   

   "No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and ..." 

   "OK, OK," said Socrates. "Now let's try the second filter ..."
   
  ---------------------------------------------------------------  
   The filter of Goodness  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------  
  
   "Is what you are about to tell me about my student something 
  good?"

   "No, on the contrary ..."

   "So, " Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad 
  about him, but you're not certain it's true."
  
   "You may still pass the test though! You see, there's one 
  filter left:"
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------  
   The third filter is ...  
  --------------------------------------------------------------- 
  
   "The filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about 
  my student going to be useful to me?" 

   "No, not really. " 

   "Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is 
  neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at 
  all? "

   This is a great story. I believe it's one of the most valuable 
  ones I have learnt. 
  
   In fact I like to think of it as communication yoga or 
  integrity or even relationship yoga!
  
   Each of us is here to blaze our own trail. How you do that is 
  entirely up to you.
  
   My advice - if I may be so bold - is take a lesson from a sage 
  from ancient times. And really, it is ALL about your yoga!
  
   You learn in the room to know your truth, to be good to 
  yourself, respond with awareness and authenticity.
  
   And you learn to do that in a useful and appropriate way, in a 
  way that's not violent but compassionate, and in a way that 
  opens your heart, mind and body.
  
   Now, imagine what your life would be like - what the world 
  would be like - if your first instinct was to automatically 
  respond in this way! (... or if you were practised enough in 
  the Triple Filter principles that it were second nature.)
  
   So you can make yoga the class you attend, or even your whole 
  attitude to life hinge around these 3 considerations. It's 
  another way to bring more importance to your yoga mindfulness 
  and make changes that effect more than just you.
  
   So as Socrates shows us, it's not just what you say or think 
  but how you filter all that you utter and all that others utter 
  to you. 
  
   Truth, Goodness and Usefulness ... worldly and noble ideals that 
  your yoga teaches you. 

   So, think about that :) when you are next listening to ANY 
  conversation. Even one with yourself. :)
  
   Happy thoughts create better lives. Simple really.