The Yoga rules

Initially, enlightenment is living in the present moment andaccepting your situation as it is. That is a pretty heavy taskfor anyone in any time. It is often said that an enlightenedperson cannot be angered by small talk or negative energy.

Many people are humble and believe that they will never beenlightened in this life. They also believe: The goal ofenlightenment is too vast for the average person to achieve.However, should you just give up? What can you do to attainenlightenment?

You should meditate daily: This will help you connect to theworld around you. This is an awareness of plants, animals,people and many things around you that are often not appreciatedor overlooked.

Meditation will enhance awareness of yourself, everything aroundyou, and the connection between the two. This will bring out theability to see reality as it is - with the ultimate goal ofreaching a state of "pure consciousness."

Understand the value of prayer, mantras, and singing. Even ifyou only practice in your mind, this will strengthen positiveenergy within you. Many people resort to theses practices; togain comfort in times of need. This is a shame because you cangain the positive benefits of prayer, mantras, and singing, anytime.

Remember, enlightenment is not a race: You would be shocked atthe number of people who put pressure on themselves to be"instantly enlightened."

It is good to have goals in life, so creating a log to trackyour progress is a beneficial practice. Your log may track yourmeditation sessions, your ability to deal with, or diffuse,negative situations, your ability to create positive energy andproject it to others, and your ability to see reality.

If you continue the process of keeping and maintaining a log,your results will be encouraging. You may also want to join agroup with compatible religious beliefs, search for a teacher,or share your practice with a friend on the same path.

Lastly, do not be frustrated by uncertainty and learn to acceptwhat you cannot control. If all humans could maintainenlightenment, we would experience world peace. We could allaccept each other, despite differences of culture, nationality,color, sex, religious beliefs, or any other thing humans canfind to develop a pre-conceived notion about each other.

About the author:Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teachertraining at Aura Wellness Center in North Providence RI. He hasbeen a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a masterinstructor of martial arts. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, andfitness to children, adults, and seniors in Providence. Recentlyhe wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yogastudents, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher.