Being Human

*The poem below called, "Being Human", is a must-read! (Or, just above, a must-listen!)  

Meanwhile, from the book  If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules:  

The Ten Rules For Being Human:
1. You will receive a body.

          Check!  Practice ahimsa with your body; the art of non-harming.  In yoga, it is the poses you choose to practice on the mat or the depth of the bind you find yourself entangled in.  But, most of your waking time is off the yoga mat. How do you practice ahimsa towards yourself in that world?  Do you smoke?  Consume too much caffeine or sugar?
 
2. You will be presented with lessons.

          You chose them. In fact, your lesson could refer back to rule #1; your lesson might be in dealing with physical constraints of your body or your mental outlook towards your body. The question is, what can I learn from this, where I am right now?

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.

        This does not mean that you don't wish you could go back and make different or better choices, but what did you learn from the choice you did make? Wouldn't your path be different right now if you could go back? How do you know your new path would be better?

4. Lessons are repeated until learned.

          Fun, right? So don't avoid them- face them head on and take care  of them now.

5. Learning does not end.
6. "There" is no better than "here."
7. Others are only mirrors of you.

          Everyone is here on a journey.  So, when someone next annoys you, keep in mind they are doing the best with what they currently know and are trying to muster through their life lessons, too.

8. What you make of your life is up to you.

          Do you believe anything is possible?  The mind believes what you tell it.  We are so good at telling ourselves we are too fat or too ugly and so good at believing it! Don't you think if we told ourselves how valuable we are, how beautiful, how amazing that we would believe that, too? Use positive affirmations to help train your mind and so what you send out to the Universe is what the Universe brings back to you.

9. All the answers lie inside of you.
10. You will forget all of this at birth.
         
The Sanskrit word, samsara, refers to the cycle of birth, life, death and then birth, life, death and then birth, life, death, etc.

The word, samskara, includes your  impressions from past experiences in this life or from past lives.

 
BEING HUMAN by Naima

I wonder if the sun debates dawn
some mornings
not wanting to rise
out of bed
from under the down-feather horizon

If the sky grows tired
of being everywhere at once
adapting to the mood swings of the weather

If the clouds drift off
trying to hold themselves together
make deals with gravity
to loiter a little longer

I wonder if rain is scared
of falling
if it has trouble letting go

If snow flakes get sick
of being perfect all the time
each one trying to be one-of-a-kind

I wonder if stars wish
upon themselves before the die
if they need to teach their young to shine

I wonder if shadows long
to once feel the sun
if they get lost in the shuffle
not knowing where they’re from

I wonder if sunrise and sunset
respect each other
even though they’ve never met

If volcanoes get stressed
If storms have regrets
If compost believes in life after death

I wonder if breath ever thinks
about suicide
I wonder if the wind just wants to sit
still sometimes
and watch the world pass by

If smoke was born knowing how to rise
If rainbows get shy back stage
not sure if their colors match right

I wonder if lightning sets an alarm clock
to know when to crack
If rivers ever stop
and think of turning back

If streams meet the wrong sea
and their whole lives run off-track
I wonder if the snow wants to be black

If the soil thinks she’s too dark
If butterflies want to cover up their marks
If rocks are self-conscious of their weight
If mountains are insecure of their strength

I wonder if waves get discouraged
crawling up the sand
only to be pulled back again
to where they began

I wonder if land feels stepped upon
If sand feels insignificant
If trees need to question their lovers
to know where they stand

If branches waver in the crossroads
unsure of which way to grow
If the leaves understand they’re replaceable
and still dance when the wind blows

I wonder where the moon goes
when she is hiding
I want to find her there
and watch the ocean
spin from a distance
Listen to her
stir in her sleep

effort gives way to existence

 

( location of poem: http://isanghamahal.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/a-poem-being-human-by-naima/)