To care for ourselves comes naturally to all living beings; if we observe birds, animals, and the plant kingdom, we see they are inherently aligned with their needs, nature, and surroundings, which guide them to attend to themselves.
As humans, we possess a unique intelligence that enables us to discern who we are and what is beneficial for us. Despite this capability, we often neglect to tune in and listen to our inner wisdom, allowing ourselves to be primarily guided by our likes, dislikes and repetitive habits.
In Ayurveda, it is called Prajnaparadha, which means an intellectual crime or violation of judgment. The intelligence, as buddhi has the ability to differentiate between suitable and unsuitable things for an individual.
Returning to this inherent intelligence we have is the way to align us back to our natural state of health and serenity.
Step 2: Karma Yoga – Work Joyfully
Most of our waking hours are spent doing work either in the office or at home or in transit.
“Monday morning blues” and “TGIF” are terms that display our dislike and resentment towards our work. Developing the right attitude to our work and performing work joyfully can give instant happiness that is neither postponed nor dependent on the outcome of the work.
The holy Bhagavad Gita defines Yoga as Yogah karmasu kausalam, meaning Yoga is skilfulness in action. We cannot live without performing action, when we consciously chose to not be resentful but learn to express joy in our work.