Aparigrapha
This yama or restraint means adopting an attitude of non-greed to simplify life by cultivating an attitude of generosity and non-hoarding. This suggests living a simple life without excess which naturally leads to appreciating the bounty the earth offers us and only taking what we absolutely need to live. An extension of this could be if we take too much then we are effectively stealing from another sentient being be that a butterfly, a person or the ocean and all that lives in it. It could be said that excess is a corrupting force in that it leads us towards desire of sensual and physical possessions and ultimately bondage to the ego: mine, my, me.
How does this play out on the mat, I think one way of looking at it is about not being attached or indeed having an aversion to the content or execution of our practice. We can easily convince ourselves that we need to achieve a more advanced pose, however, it is attitude towards the body and mind when in the pose that can turn a simple posture into a deeply meaningful one. Move in the stream of energy not against it. Energy flows through a heart felt practice not one driven by achieving or comparing, thus, another way of moving towards non-coveting is the practice of dedicating your yoga/mediation practice to something or someone.
In gratitude for all that is, Om shanti,
Margot
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