Page 25 - NAMAH-Jul-2024

Namah Yoga Lessons from Nature

melodious dance-drama, beauty squandered
in a moment in playful abandon. It’s mostly
a solo show, sometimes involving duals as
between antlers or a multi-party chasing
game as in the kangaroo kingdom. Humans
take themselves too seriously and end up
complicating matters. Not playing with co-
workers creates unhealthy competition. Not
playing with children generates mistrust.
Not interacting with different people creates
misunderstandings.

A wonderful lesson we can learn from plants
is turning towards the sun. And letting
everybody else turn towards the sun in their
own way. We embrace diversity and realise
that only diversity can save us as a species,
and can save the planet. Deep down at the
a
core is the wisdom of the SSvetassvataopanissad,
in harmony — no Tower of Babel here. And
when they drag food many times their size, that the wise have discovered through psychic
a
h
m
they do so diligently all summer, so that experiments: ekam bījam bahudha yah karoti one
they don’t starve in winter. The man-made seed that is multiplied in so many beings. The
granaries ensure a similar food security One has become the Many because it wants
during times of duress. And the ants start to seek itself out in manifold ways. This is
by feeding their babies first, something Its play, the delightful leela. The better we
humans also do. But only locally, within the are able to emulate It, the better for us. And
group they call their own. Children in other we cannot be lost when we have Nature for
countries starve. And when adults fight, our guide.
children are left without food, medicine and
sometimes parents.

Conclusion

But not all lessons of Nature are hard to copy.
She can be playful and man has to learn this from
her too. Male birds showing off their feathers is
playful and comic while it is functional. It is a

Lopa Mukherjee is a psychologist and educator. She conducts workshops and teaches culture, soft skills
and related subjects. She lives in Pondicherry.

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