Yoga For Happiness - One Key to Successful Relationships

Jnana Yoga is often considered the "Yoga of truth." This form of truth, in Yoga practice, is found through self-discovery and by carefully performing honest self-analysis. Yet, all that we change from within will not change the world around us, unless we interact with it.

Relationships are our interaction, with the people we see, in the course of a day. We cannot change the world by sitting and meditating in a cave for the rest of our lives. Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and loving kindness are put into practice when we engage in balanced relationships.

In all relationships, the keys to success can be found. Take the following key and apply it toward all of your relationships in work, with family, at home, and with your friends. In this way, you can apply time-tested Yogic principles in your daily life.

The Key of Mutual Trust

You have a right to be skeptical of everything you encounter, but when you wear skepticism like a badge, people will become skeptical of you. This does not imply that you should trust everyone and train your children to "take candy from strangers." However, when you assume that everyone has a hidden agenda, and you do not trust anyone, you encourage an atmosphere of mistrust.

Supervisors and business owners set the tone within a company. If mistrust starts at the top, it trickles down to the foundation of the company. An atmosphere of mistrust breeds a multitude of problems. The supervisor who does not trust his or her help is most likely to take credit for the help's ideas.

Similarly, the same supervisor is least likely to take responsibility for his or her mistakes. It is very tempting, when you do not trust anyone, to see everyone as potential enemies. It is also possible to view every subordinate as a threat to job security. Do you think the workers who answer to an openly distrustful supervisor will be loyal?

So far, all we have considered is the level of mutual trust in business relationships, but the key of mutual trust is part of every aspect of life. If you treat your children and spouse with mistrust, you will definitely encounter mutual feelings from them.

Whether trust is earned, or violated, do not ignore it. There is no need to carry a grudge forever or assume that one act of kindness makes someone a saint. We have to accept people the way they are, without going through harsh judgments or leaving ourselves unnecessarily open to be taken advantage of.

Yoga teaches each of us about living in balance and harmony. There is no need to let life's highs or lows throw you out of balance for long. Granted, we are all human and mistakes are part of a lifelong learning process, but Yoga can help us find the higher purposes of life.

? Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. aurawellnesscenter.com aurawellnesscenter.com.

He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html