Two Important Attributes for Skillful Living

Some years back I was promoting Yoga at a local hotel

here in Bangkok that was having an Indian food

festival.

In the lobby of the hotel there were tables set up

that were selling things that may or may not have been

related to Indian culture.

At the table on Yoga, we offered material and tapes on

Yoga for free, much to the chagrin of the hotel

management who made a percentage of those things sold

at each table.

The table on Yoga attracted a few curious looks and at

times, sincerely interested people, but in the

materialist orientated world that Bangkok, Thailand is

and how people want to have their senses excited

instead of their soul awakened, the table promoting

Yoga attracted the same proportionate number of people

that is usually attracts throughout the world, that

being about one out of every ten, though some would

say a more accurate figure is closer to one out of

every twenty.

At this promotion, I met a man who thought that

because I had lived in Bangkok for some time, that I

had a number of “connections” that might be of some

assistance to him.

He seemed disappointed when he learned that I was not interested in cultivating any connections and

 therefore could not pass them on to him.

There are things that we need and benefit from in life

and some may think that connections are one of them.

But two attributes that we all benefit from having are

to be relaxed and confident in life and what we do.

If we do not have these things, we can come into every situation with anxiety, fear and confusion and most

 likely get little out of it or not attain our desired objectives.

We tend to think that a state of relaxation and

confidence comes with experience or skills in a

certain field and that is certainly true to an extent.

But Yoga reminds us that being relaxed and confident

is also heavily dependent on the state of our mind and

body and that because this is so, there are things

that we can do on our own and through our own effort

that will get us to that state.

They also teach us that when we are in an state of

being relaxed, here thought of being in an ongoing

mental and physical state of calmness, not watching

television or hanging our with our friends at the bar,

we tend to get more out of everything that we do, and

thereby are cultivating confidence in both living and performing both household and work tasks that are asked

 of or required of us.

If we are relaxed and confident, we can see each day

and new thing as an experience to grow and understand

that such an experience is joyful.

If we are relaxed and confident, we can build on

previous learning experiences in a constructive

manner.

If we are relaxed and confident, we can also interact

with other people in a better way, not over a can of

beer only or while passing around a joint, or when we

are plotting with them against another.

Instead, we are better able to make a connection with

them that is worthwhile and built on something

constructive and sincere.

If you feel that a state of being relaxed and

confident is something that is eluding you in your

life, you may find that Yoga will naturally and

enjoyably bring these things into your life.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)