YOGA + Life® Magazines
  • Partner With Us
  • Subscribe
  • Events Directory
  • SHOP — What We Love
  • “The Practice”
  • HOME
  • FEATURED
    • Community + Culture
    • Wellness + Nutrition
    • Products
    • Profiles
    • Yoga + Fitness
    • Events
  • ALL CONTENT
    • Community + Culture
      • Art
      • Books
      • Community
      • Culture
      • Family
      • Fashion
      • Food + Drink
      • Nourish Me
      • Motivation
      • Music
      • Outdoors
      • Travel
    • Wellness + Nutrition
      • Self-Care
      • Nutrition
      • Psychology
      • Recipes
      • Therapy
      • Weight Loss
    • Products
      • Product Spotlights
      • Roundups
      • Try It On – Reviews
      • Try It Out – Reviews
    • Profiles
      • Business
      • Partner Profiles
      • People
      • Spotlight Cities
      • Students
      • Studios
      • Teachers
      • Seva Story
      • Sustainability Story
      • Storytelling
    • Yoga + Fitness
      • Asana
      • In the Practice
      • Meditation
      • Philosophy
      • Physiology
      • Sports
      • Workouts
    • Events
      • Festivals
      • Retreats
      • Training Spotlights
    • Inspiration From Y+L Partners
  • Y + L COMMUNITIES
    • COLORADO
    • MINNESOTA
    • NEW YORK
  • CONNECT
    • Order A Magazine
    • Partner With Us
    • Contribute
    • Contact Us
  • LIVE CLASSES
Featured Posts
  • Person admiring vision board
    How to Use a Vision Board to Achieve Your Wellness Goals | By Cora Gold
    • 4 views
  • Allumen yoga
    Partner Profile : Allumen Yoga
    • 8 views
  • Alternate nostril breathing
    Breathing for Bravery : Pranayama Practices to Promote Courage + Confidence | By Julia Clarke
    • 10 views
  • Partner With Us
  • Subscribe
  • Events Directory
  • SHOP — What We Love
  • “The Practice”
0 Followers
0 Likes
Partners
YOGA + Life® Magazines
Subscribe
  • HOME
  • FEATURED
    • Community + Culture
    • Wellness + Nutrition
    • Products
    • Profiles
    • Yoga + Fitness
    • Events
  • ALL CONTENT
    • Community + Culture
      • Art
      • Books
      • Community
      • Culture
      • Family
      • Fashion
      • Food + Drink
      • Nourish Me
      • Motivation
      • Music
      • Outdoors
      • Travel
    • Wellness + Nutrition
      • Self-Care
      • Nutrition
      • Psychology
      • Recipes
      • Therapy
      • Weight Loss
    • Products
      • Product Spotlights
      • Roundups
      • Try It On – Reviews
      • Try It Out – Reviews
    • Profiles
      • Business
      • Partner Profiles
      • People
      • Spotlight Cities
      • Students
      • Studios
      • Teachers
      • Seva Story
      • Sustainability Story
      • Storytelling
    • Yoga + Fitness
      • Asana
      • In the Practice
      • Meditation
      • Philosophy
      • Physiology
      • Sports
      • Workouts
    • Events
      • Festivals
      • Retreats
      • Training Spotlights
    • Inspiration From Y+L Partners
  • Y + L COMMUNITIES
    • COLORADO
    • MINNESOTA
    • NEW YORK
  • CONNECT
    • Order A Magazine
    • Partner With Us
    • Contribute
    • Contact Us
  • LIVE CLASSES
  • MN YOGA + Life
  • People
  • Profiles

Q & A : Ask the Swami | By Gracia Gimse Mckinley

  • tessapowell
  • 249 views
  • 2 minute read
Total
1
Shares
1
0
0

A yoga swami is someone dedicated to their own awakening and helps to awaken others. Their role is similar to that of a minister or priest, though they accept all religious traditions. Swamis provide spiritual guidance and perform rituals such as weddings and memorial services, respecting the beliefs of all participants.

Q: I HEAR THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO CONTROL OR GET RID OFOUR EGOS. WHAT IS AN EGO AND HOW DO WE GET RID OF IT? Erin A. of Redwing

A: In order to talk about ego, we also need to talk about Spirit. The ego and the Spirit are partners in navigating life. Spirit is that which is immortal and everlasting. Spirit recognizes connection between you and others and between you and the cosmos. It is fundamentally good and one with the universe, Source, God, Cosmic Consciousness, whatever else we decide to call it.

At the core of our beings, we are Spirit: good, whole, and complete.Spirit has no clue how to manage as a separate, distinct, and finite entity. So when Spirit comes into embodiment, it takes on a partner—ego.

It is your ego’s job to create separation.

Some say ego is unnecessary or even an obstacle in our spiritual path, but it is ego that establishes healthy boundaries, identifies and meets physical/temporal needs, and maintains our unique personality.

Ego knows where your hand ends and the fire begins, and keeps one out of the other. It knows when the fire will burn you and when it will keep you warm and cook your food. For Spirit, ego is an invaluable partner. Please, do not try to get rid of your ego!

Everything in life is sacred, ego included.

However, we do need to keep an eye on our ego. If ego takes charge, we forget our True Self as Spirit connected to all of life in oneness.

This is why we need to cultivate awareness, to balance Spirit and ego as partners, and remember our True Self as we navigate our everyday lives. As awareness balances Spirit and ego in a sacred union, we make the most of our embodiment.

Some say we’re humans having spiritual experiences—I say we’re Spirit having human experiences in the sacred world of form.The word “Yoga” means “union.”

All of the practices of yoga ultimately aim to expand the horizon of our awareness, which helps us create union between ego and Spirit so we can live happy, authentic, and meaningful lives.

 

GRACIA (pronounced gray-sha) radiates warmth and acceptance. She empowers students to attune to their own inner wisdom. Gracia is an ordained Kriya Yoga swami (minister) and the co-founder of My Spirit Community. She teachesmeditation, yoga therapy, and yogic spirituality. She can be contacted at [email protected] or www.myspiritcommunity.org

 

Total
1
Shares
Share 1
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
tessapowell

Previous Article
  • MN YOGA + Life
  • Wellness
  • Wellness + Nutrition

Finding Balance with Ayurveda | By Heather Ritenour-Sampson

  • tessapowell
View Post
Next Article
  • Art
  • CO YOGA + Life
  • Community + Culture
  • Festivals
  • Music
  • People
  • Profiles
  • Storytelling
  • Travel

Scotty Stoughton | CO YOGA + Life™ Cover Man

  • Juli Rathke | Founder, YOGA + Life®
View Post
More from Y+L
  • Sedona Yoga Festival

    Sedona Yoga Festival Celebrates 10 Years | By Kristen Grace

    • YOGA + Life® Magazines
    View Post
  • Cranial Touch

    Sacred Sister Collective Retreats | By Kaitlin Emig

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • Loveology Retreat

    Dr. Ava Cadell Opens New “Loveology Retreat” in Maricopa, California

    • YOGA + Life® Magazines
    View Post
  • Beyul Retreat Yoga

    Beyul Retreat Center Near Aspen Aligns Humans with Nature | By Kaitlin Emig

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • Yogi in front of sunset

    Why Taking Retreat is Essential to Renewal of Spirit | By Kali Basman

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • The Vail Wine Classic Returns This August

    • Lexi Reich | Managing Editor
    View Post
  • An Evening with Elizabeth Gilbert : A Revolutionary Woman Is A Relaxed Woman | By Rachel Glowacki

    • YOGA + Life® Magazines
    View Post
  • Telluride Yoga Festival

    Telluride Yoga Festival Makes A Move To Mountain Village | By Kristen Grace

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • Elizabeth Gilbert is Coming to Denver on May 4 | By Kim Fuller

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • Oars

    On The River + In The Flow : Balancing Yoga, Meditation and a Thirst for Whitewater at a Women’s Wellbeing Retreat | By Lisa Blake

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
Archived Posts!
  • Tabay Atkins
    Tabay Atkins : America’s Youngest Yoga Teacher Shares Tools For Wellness | By Kristen Grace
    • 174
  • Partner Profile : Aarunya Yoga School
    • 179
  • Alchemy Goods
    Try It On: Alchemy Goods Brooklyn Backpack | By Bobby L’Heureux
    • 295
  • Try It On : The Lotus Wrap | By Lexi Reich
    • 498
  • Partner Profile : Liz Layne Yoga
    • 435
Instagram

Join the YOGA + Life® Newsletter!

Events, Product Reviews, Promotions and More!

about
YOGA + Life® - an online community and magazine.
Recent Articles
  • Person admiring vision board
    How to Use a Vision Board to Achieve Your Wellness Goals | By Cora Gold
    • YOGA + Life® Magazines
  • Allumen yoga
    Partner Profile : Allumen Yoga
    • YOGA + Life® Magazines
  • Alternate nostril breathing
    Breathing for Bravery : Pranayama Practices to Promote Courage + Confidence | By Julia Clarke
    • CO YOGA + Life®
  • Girl reading book in grass
    Transforming Doubt Into Daring : What We Can Learn from the Bhagavad Gita | By Julia Clark
    • CO YOGA + Life®
  • About Us + Policies, Terms
  • Online Columnists
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
YOGA + Life® - All Rights Reserved

Input your search keywords and press Enter.