Imagine no possessions/ I wonder if you can/ No need for greed or hunger/ A brotherhood of man
When John Lennon wrote these lyrics for the iconic song Imagine he was speaking about several concepts including world peace. He was speaking of non-possessiveness and the letting go of greed. The ancient concept of Aparigraha in yoga contemplates this letting go of the desire for possessions, of detachment. ‘Parigrah’ is the desire for possessions and ‘Aparigraha’ is the opposite. While it is human nature to want, to acquire and to surround ourselves with the things we need and love, there is great merit in reducing the number of those things, in tempering our atavistic avarice and in seeking happiness other than in mere objects.
The concept of temperance and charity in Yoga
With the liberalizing of the Indian economy, consumerism has slowly but surely invaded India, with the result that more and more things are now accessible to us. We keep buying things because we want them; with little thought for whether we need them. As a result we surround ourselves with things that are unnecessary; things that may be of better use to others. When we talk of Aparigraha we speak of temperance (restraint in acquiring), delinking (breaking the connection between possessions and satisfaction) and divesting (giving away to the needy that which we can do without).
Aparigraha is closely linked to the concept of charity or ‘Daan’, and here daan is not about giving away what we no longer want; but about paring down our own requirements and giving away that which the other needs! It is about controlling the avaricious self constantly looking to acquire more and more; about letting go of mere objects and understanding that it is not objects that bring us happiness.
Aparigraha and Decluttering
One of the most practical methods of conforming to the tenets of Aparigraha is to declutter not only our homes but also our lives. Look at the immediate benefits of decluttering: there is less stuff around the home, more space, fewer things to keep clean and organized and it is easier to find and use the things that you really need.
Researchers have found that clutter causes physical and emotional stress; that clearing clutter can actually elevate the mood. You will find that you not only have more space; you also have more time for the things that matter and better ability to focus on those things. Get rid of everything that you don’t need, and a lot of what you can do without. Give it all away to the less fortunate; there are enough of those in our country. You will be amazed at how cathartic and gratifying the process of decluttering can be.
Once you have reduced the number of your possessions and cleared space in your home and in your life, you can then aim to achieve something more meaningful. Because it is only when you get rid of the clutter – in the physical and the emotional sense – that you can be ready to welcome better, more meaningful aspects of life.
Aparigraha and Santosh
We all know what Santosh means: contentment or the feeling of being fulfilled. Santosh is important to strive for in life; it lets you appreciate what you have and give gratitude for it. If you simply look around at the many people in your life who have so little; for so little fault of their own and you realize just how much you have to be grateful about. Reaching for this contentment or Santosh in life can be an important component of Aparigraha. If you feel you have all that you need, you don’t seek more. More importantly, you don’t look for happiness in things; instead you find that happiness lies within you, in experiences you are fortunate enough to have, in the people and loving relationships that surround you.
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