Yoga & The Natural World
Atha Yoga Anushasanam
Now, this is yoga as I have perceived it in the natural world.
Y.S. 1.1
In the early 1970s, British chemist James Lovelock, working with U.S. microbiologist Lynn Margulis, formulated a hypothesis he called Gaia. Named after the ancient goddess who personified the earth in Greek mythology, the Gaia hypothesis (now recognized as the Gaia theory) postulates that the continuous interaction of carbon-based life with geological and inorganic forces forms a fully interdependent, integrated and self-regulating system to maintain life on earth. The Gaia theory envisions the earth as a living organism, one that reacts to the changes and pressures placed upon it by adapting its biosphere, in order to maintain optimal conditions for sustaining life.
Many of the principles of the Gaia Theory have evolved into the more widely-recognized discipline of earth climate science. Very recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has created somewhat of a resurgence in fascination in the Gaia theory, because one of the readily-observable side effects of this pandemic has been its short-term positive effect on the environment. During the height of the initial worldwide lockdowns this past spring, the usually grey, smog-filled skies of Delhi cleared, and the waterways of Venice appeared cleaner than they have been in decades, due to the decrease in vehicle and boat traffic. Recent international studies of global carbon emissions found that the largest drop in annual emissions since the end of World War II may be achieved by the end of this year. These observations raise an interesting question. What is happening from a yogic perspective? How can we process what we are observing in real time, and how can it inform us as conscious seekers and practitioners of yoga?
The first sutra of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is “Atha Yoga-anushasanam”, which when translated, means, ‘ Now, this is yoga as I have perceived it in the natural world’. My teacher, Sharon Gannon, explains that the essence of this first Sutra is that the truth is all around us, if we are willing to look closely and deeply. The ultimate goal of Yoga, as a thought science and philosophy for living, is to unify (or yoke) one’s individual consciousness to a greater reality, to understand and to see the interrelatedness of all beings. According to this Sutra, the natural world does not exist separately from us. Everything we do (or refrain from doing) impacts the natural world, and a deep, passionate observation of nature can teach us the very essence of Yoga.
The word “atha” means “now” in Sanskrit, and it is no accident that this word was chosen to begin the Sutras. The guidance contained in the Yoga Sutras is a living teaching, not something that was important or relevant only in the past. We can look around ourselves, at the state of things as they are right now, to see how the natural world can be a teacher of balance, co-existence and resilience. The word “anu” in “anushasanam” means “atom”, and “shasanam” means “to instruct”. When translated literally, this part of the Sutra states that “the atoms will instruct”, and when the meaning is broadened, we understand that that all of nature exists as individual atoms linked, or yoked, together to create the reality we experience. This Sutra is an invitation to live a deeply-examined life full of meaning, and to cultivate a desire to look under the surface of what we perceive as our reality. The natural laws that govern the earth’s climate are part of a deeper reality that we may miss if we aren’t looking. This ultimate truth teaches us that we are not separate from the systems that sustain our existence.
The pandemic has in some ways forced us to take our hands off the steering wheel, to briefly and minimally pause our tendency as humans to dominate, direct and exploit the earth’s resources. The small environmental benefits that have accrued in certain parts of the world during this time will not be lasting. Without larger, structural changes in energy and food production and transportation, the levels of carbon emissions will continue to rise, and will at some point outpace the earth’s ability to maintain equilibrium.
The sensitivity, reactivity and interrelatedness of the earth’s ecosystems is elegantly explained by the Gaia theory, and we have been given the gift of seeing, in real time, how the earth functions as a living organism. What we do with the insight that has been given to us is up to our collective conscience. The stakes may be high, but the beauty and treasure of living life through a yogic perspective is that there is always an opportunity for hope and vision, to see the truth, and to use the force of our elevated thoughts, words and actions to propel meaningful change into the world.