The man who first inspired me to dig deeper into my yoga practice on and off the mat wrote a book called The Yoga of the Nine Emotions about the moods we are given when we enter this world. Peter Marchand expands on one mood in particular in his YouTube video Inner Peace - Part 1/3.

The Nine Moods or Rasas broken down into three categories.

Unhappy
- Anger
- Disgust
- Fear
- Sadness
Happy
- Love
- Wonder
- Joy
- Courage
Neutral
- Peace

The men who came up with the Rasas debated on whether or not to even include peace as mood because one may describe peace as the absence of mood. But think of it this way. When you stand near someone who is in a peaceful state, their energy can be felt the same way as when you stand near someone who is angry or afraid. Your attitude shifts around that person because their emotional energy is real, and emotions can be felt on a physical level that transcends the body and enters the atmosphere. This is the debate that led to the inclusion of peace as a mood.

But peace is a special mood because it can be mixed with the other ones. Peace can remain a constant in your life. You can be angry, but peaceful. You can be afraid, but remain calm. If you practice yoga, you will learn how to root yourself in peace by turning your attention inward.

If your moods are rooted in peace, you will experience creativity in all areas of your life. Even when a challenge arises, you will know things will turn out okay. If your moods are not rooted in peace, then you will ultimately feel sad all the time. You may look okay on the outside, but if you don’t check in with how your breath feels for a few minutes every day, you will get burnt out.

Do you feel sad right now? It is okay to feel sad. This is the best opportunity for you to let go of whatever it is that has made you sad. Are you angry? Afraid? Let it go.

How do you let go of things that trigger unhappy moods? You recognize that some things are out of your control. You let go by inhaling and exhaling. You turn your awareness inward.

Your reach of control stops at your actions and reactions. After that, it’s out of your hands.

Take some time to check in with yourself and you will feel completely different. Establishing an inner connection in the morning equips you to deal with roadblocks as they arise. Everyone has to find their own way of dealing with things. I suggest meditation, but I cannot do it for you. No teacher can make you a more peaceful person. The choice is yours to show up.

When you make that choice to practice yoga, a transformation occurs. A light switches on. You will never forget that feeling. Feeling your body, checking in with your breath, and turning off your chattering mind can be rewarding, but it is not an easy task. Truth be told, making time for peace is less like a task and more like a relationship.

This relationship that you are building with peace needs a few things. The first thing that peace needs is your beck and call. Peace will not come without being invited in. All the other moods are asking for your attention all day long. They are pushing their way into your brain. So give peace a chance. Don’t let stress be your new normal.

Come to my Slow Flow class at Rick’s Yoga Therapy Friday mornings at 9am.

Let’s find peace together!

Namaste,

Mai