Yama 10 Shauca, Purity

[Eastern Mind]

from http://veda.wikidot.com/yama-niyama

YAMA 10 � Shauca, Purity

"Uphold the ethic of purity, avoiding impurity in mind, body and speech. Maintain a clean, healthy body. Keep a pure, uncluttered home and workplace. Act virtuously. Keep good company, never mixing with adulterers, thieves or other impure people. Keep away from pornography and violence. Never use harsh, angered or indecent language. Worship devoutly. Meditate daily.
Allow yourself the expression of remorse, being modest and showing shame for misdeeds. Recognize your errors, confess and make amends. Sincerely apologize to those hurt by your words or deeds. Resolve all contention before sleep. Seek out and correct your faults and bad habits. Welcome correction as a means to bettering yourself. Do not boast. Shun pride and pretension."

Sometimes the mind and environment gets confused. We think that cleaning the environment can clean the mind. Not always true. We are preconditioned. I see soil as a living breathing organism, as do the other gardeners on here, while others see it as dirty. (My mother affectionately referred to soil as dirt.) It is also a fine line to walk to avoid the adulterers, thieves, etc, all the while showing compassion and not rude criticism. Of course this once again is an ideal, and it is difficult (for me at least) to look in a mirror and self-evaluate or reflect on one's own weak points. In order to improve our character and become better humans, we first have to decide or come to grips with wjat needs working on, no?

Aum Namasivaya

[Ramakrishna]

Namaste,

There is so much covered in this yama. Some of the things I do a good job of fulfilling, and others not so much. I would say that I do maintain a clean and healthy body and clean and uncluttered living spaces. It is difficult to avoid impurity in mind, body, and speech. That reminds me of karma, how everything we do in mind, body, and speech has an effect. Not just mind, not just body, not just speech. All of them.

I agree with you that cleaning the environment is not always cleaning the mind as well. I also agree that although it is difficult, it is also very necessary to undergo self-evaluations and reflect on our weak points. That really is the only way we can become better humans, as you cannot always count on other people to expose your faults.

Jai Sri Krishna

[NayaSurya]

Well this is one of those times when I have failed and failed...

I have succeeded in the following ways: Virgin when I got married, only two sexual partners, both husbands. I have never had impure thoughts about other men. Coming from a family torn apart by such weaknesses...it disgusts me.

But, I have failed miserably in some aspects. My problems stem from the days of the wild west on the internet. I had many friends who came to me because I was a...liberator of information.

My talents involve finding things on the internet that others could not.

Their requests were for certain celebrity pictures which sent me into helping create a website of free images for them....not my own pictures or anything really bad, just soft stuff. It was based on the idea that such things shouldn't cost money. So I was sort of the Robin Hood of pornography. This was years ago, when I was very young, stupid and in college.

Oh, I know this totally destroys any shred of dignity I had on this forum. But, it's truth and I will not hide it to make myself look better. This story will probably make some hate me. But I can not lie, or avoid it. Part of purity is moving on past a huge mistake and learning how deep the hole is once you've climbed out...and making dern sure you never walk near it again.

I blew up the website and every single image, replacing it with a prayer.
But, I never avoid telling the truth of this past.

If I become friends with people, I generally tell them this story right from the start so that I keep it honest. If someone then hits on me, or makes a suggestion, I know this is a person to avoid. It's worked very well numerous times.

On the internet it's hard to know who murders...who lies...who cheats...

I am the worst at figuring out the heart such creatures. In the era of the machine we are all subject to such influences.

[devotee]

Namaste Nayasurya,

I love you for your honesty ! Very few people would have guts to accept such things on a public forum.

May God bless you !!

OM

[NayaSurya]

Thank you<3 He has blessed me. Which is why I can no longer hide.

Who would I be hiding this truth from...myself, you, any one being...

All of us cut from the same spot in the universe, all Isvara.

There is no place to hide.