How often have you realized a particular behavior of yours is not in your best interest, but you continue to do it anyway? Most of us know people who smoke, drink too much alcohol or overeat, and we have heard them say “I know this is not good for me… I know I should stop.” It is important to have compassion in these circumstances, but there is also a great teaching in understanding the difference between knowing and doing.
We can read all of the great texts of Yoga and memorize passages from the Bhagavad-Gita and Yoga Sutras, but it is of little true value if we are not living these teachings. If we are just discussing them and displaying our comprehension, we are only in the realm of knowledge. It is good to have this knowledge, for it is necessary to know and understand this material if we are embracing Yoga, but its true value only arises when we apply it to our lives. This application is the process of turning knowledge into wisdom.
Ultimately, the essence of Yoga is in the doing. It involves exerting the sustained effort to truly change our lives and actually embody and express the teachings rather than just understand and articulate them. This is how we manifest the power of healing, transformation and Self-realization.
I invite you to turn knowledge into wisdom this week in these simple ways:
- Review one or two persistent behaviors that you know are not in your best interest.
- Allow your heart to tell you what you should be doing instead of succumbing to those habits.
- Live the truth of your heart as best as you are able.
