Yoga of Sustainability (Wealth Philosophy)

When reading about the history of yoga, it’s easy to see how the yogic path was composed of people who renounced their attachment to material things. The idea was to give up everything in hopes of being introduced to a higher self. Teachers would renounce their worldly pleasures: art, family, money, clothes, color, music. They would give everything up to transcend out of their human experience. They would give up the physical reminders of their humanity.

Today is a different story. Yoga has evolved into a practice for people all over the world. No matter religious affiliations or background, yoga has shifted from the path of restriction into the path of intimacy. We have careers, homes, families, and creative pursuits all entangled into the practice of transcending body and mind.

Despite this, there’s an honoring of wealth and abundance in yoga. Yoga tradition says that wealth isn’t something accumulated and owned, wealth is achieved when you become capable of sharing.

Yoga tradition says that if you receive something, let it go. Allow all energies in your life to flow through you and use your practice of yoga to avoid holding onto things. Energy doesn’t cling or want to stagnate, and neither does wealth. Wealth is breathable, transferable, and can bring communities together. An underlying message told through the eight limbs of yoga is that the worst thing we can do to our energy is keep it stagnant. Energy wants to move, and it will with or without your permission. Wealth is perceived in the same way, meaning that the currency of abundance is constantly flowing. We see examples of this in nature. Nature's impulse is abundance. It grows, flourishes, blooms, and bursts, in a constant state of offering. If we hold on too tight to our abundance we create stagnancy, pain, and imbalance. As Emily Kuser says, “I think that's why, when people win the lottery and they've got a couple million in the bank, they're no happier than someone who's middle class and working a job.”

Yoga tradition also says that wealth can be interpreted as Shakti, meaning that wealth is a powerful stream of energy that deserves respect. Wealth has the power to completely transform reality in positive and negative ways. Wealth is power. Shakti flows when you behave in ways that support movement and lean away from habits that create stagnation. This is why it feels so good to give, whether you’re giving your finances, time, or just offering joy to the people around you. When I practice Yoga, I become embodied and ready to share. The abundance and wealth we receive in this life should be treated no differently than other aspects of our yoga practice.

It’s here that the misunderstandings of what wealth is come into play. We’re brainwashed to think that wealth is only the money we’ll accumulate in our lifetime. Conversations about wealth turn into a race against the clock mediated by walking amygdalas. We fear money. Avoid conversations about wealth. Isolate our abundance out of a fear of losing it yet are obsessed with attaining it. We live in a culture that tells us to hoard our money and shames us for wanting to share. And the strength of this energy permeates into all aspects of our lives. It is this sense of ego that convinces us it’s easier to buy something new off Amazon than ask to borrow from a friend. We are constantly in a state of fear and uncertainty, and have forgotten that our health and wellness, both individually and together, depends on a healthy wealth philosophy.

If you agree that wealth isn’t something to hold onto, but rather it’s an energy that flows within all of us, then what makes you feel wealthy? Yoga asks us to examine our life. Are you eating well, sleeping well, exercising regularly, and drinking water? Are your basic needs met? Do you laugh? Do you allow yourself to cry? How often are you spending time in a blissful, joyous space, and are there shifts you could make in your life that enhances these positive sensations?

Like Emily Kuser says, “Yoga of wealth is really a path of the heart.” Living a wealthy life means feeling worthy of being here. Feeling joy and contentment with who you are, and what you bring to the world, is wealth. Yoga of wealth is having confidence and self-awareness. This is why our philosophy on sex directly impacts our ability to find wealth. If you don’t build an intimate relationship with yourself then you’ll never know who you are, where your truth is, and how to fulfill your human experience. Yoga of Sex motivates people to build awareness around their personal likes and dislikes and gives people the strength to advocate for those needs.

Emily Kuser; “The best things in life are free. Going for a walk in a park, watching the sunrise or sunset, sharing a story with someone — these are all manifestations of wealth.” The more we’re able to know and act in accordance with our true nature the wealthier we become. The wealthier we are, the more we’re able to share. The more we share the better karma we achieve. This is the connection between death and wealth philosophy.

Before we get into sex philosophy, it’s important to talk about Karma Yoga and Tantra.

Karma Yoga refers to the practice of doing something without expecting anything in return. Just like nature. Karma Yoga advocates for sharing simply because it feels good to share. Karma Yoga expands the definition of sharing to include understanding, joy, laughter, and compassion. Karma Yoga says that generosity isn’t restricted to giving money. We can be generous in so many ways than just traditional philanthropy. Generosity can look like volunteering at a homeless shelter, cleaning your local yoga studio, or answering the call of a friend. Obviously using your earnings to support the world is part of this practice, but not all of it. Instead, we can find what true joyfulness and cheerfulness feels like, and then distribute energy to others from that place.

The Tantra tradition sees earth as a form of the goddess Lakshmi. Through this perspective we see the earth as providing everything we need without ever asking for something in return. In other words, replenish what you take. Emily Kuser says, “If you use wood to build a new home, plant new trees. If you use the soil to grow vegetables, add organic fertilizer to keep the soil rich for future generations. When buying food, support farmers markets and organic farms that nurture the planet.” Tantra traditions emphasize the importance of giving and receiving with the earth, as a practice of balanced exchange. From this perspective, achieving balance is wealth.

Seeing the earth as a form of the goddess Lakshmi also means welcoming intimacy into one's life. We do this by using various mantras, chanting, pranayama, and meditation methods that support the elimination of stagnant energy, creating a porous environment for the energy of wealth to flow. Using different methods, we can begin to dissolve any barriers that restrict our ability to achieve wealth for ourselves. We are ‘yoked’ to abundance, and the practice of yoga generates an unshakable sense of inner wealth. It’s a big thing to feel worthy of being here and knowing that you always have something to share. Sitting with another person and being yourself is an act of sharing. Recognizing that can help you see that there’s always wealth to give.