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FOCUS OF THE MONTH
Monthly inspiration shared to our global community
& Deep thoughts to ponder.
by Rima Rani Rabbath | September, 2022
saha nāvavatu saha nau bhunakti
saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai
tejasvi nāvadhītam astu mā vidviṣāvahai
oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
May we both be protected;
May we both be nourished.
May we work together with vigor;
May our study together be brilliant.
May there be no discord between us.
Om, peace, peace, peace.
The Sanskrit word śāstra comes from the root ‘sās’, which means teach, instruct, correct. Śāstra is defined as instruction, rule, manual, book, work of authority, scripture. Śāstra is the study of ancient scriptures as well as the Sanskrit language.
Textbooks, scriptures, and manuals can often feel out of reach to many of us. The instructions “in there” may appear too farfetched for everyday life. The stories we read about saints, and the wisdom we hear from teachers, might seem to imply that they never harbored an unkind or malicious thought – that they never hurt another being. Upon reading these texts, we might ask ourselves: Is this in my wheelhouse? Is it possible for me to be like that – to become a holy being? The most immediate response to our internal dialogue would likely be: No way. That is not for me! But what the śāstra point to is our potentiality. They remind us that, innately, we are all capable of kindness and compassion – that our innermost desire is to live in a way that uplifts the lives of others. They remind us that this is possible now!
Śāstra is one of the Five Tenets of Jivamukti Yoga, the pillars that make up the foundation of the method co-created by Sharon Gannon and David Life. Texts, teachings, and instructions have been passed down through the ages as an act of generosity by those who have experienced them and taught them. These teachings were written on palm leaves, on papyrus scrolls, wax tablets, shards of broken pottery, and even on the walls of caves, in the hope that what was learned, experienced, or revealed would live on and be of value to future generations.
Read more here.