Lifestyle

The Sahaja lifestyle is based upon simplicity, genuineness and balance. True yogis live almost abnormally normal lives in which excess of any kind is simply dissolved away in a sea of personal satisfaction.

True spirituality is built on a platform of detachment from worldly desires, and so Sahaja Yogis tend not to focus on the type of material desires that drive society in general. That's not to say that they are 'lotus eaters' who sit around indolently all day, but rather that they have a healthy appreciation of the truly important things in life - like love, relationships and the spiritual dimension - which puts everything else into perspective. This type of life is immensely satisfying and is a fabulous foundation for experiencing the peace and enjoyment which is so important to anyone practicing Sahaja Yoga meditation.

Conduct

Buddhist teachings talk of the Eightfold Path to enlightenment, which includes the aspect of Right Action. This is action which is beneficial to our spiritual enlightenment; detached, harmless and morally enriching. Those who practice Sahaja Yoga find that they naturally begin to exhibit the ethical and moral discretion which drives this type of enlightened action. This genuine tendency towards proper conduct means that Yogis are not distracted by the allure of false desires, untruths and other aberrant aspects of the modern world. This is not a ritualistic or false attitude created through guilt or fanaticism, but a natural result of our increasing self-knowledge which clearly points out the most beneficial way forward for our spiritual ascent.

Family

The family is the crucible in which our personalities are shaped and moulded from birth. Our familial relationships, experiences and interactions literally make us. Once we start to practice Sahaja Yoga, however, we quickly learn that we don't have to passively accept our situation, but can change ourselves for the better through daily meditation and introspection.

Because of this, we soon learn to recognise that the family is just one part of a far richer tapestry we can draw on to improve ourselves over time. We become more detached about our family relationships, both past and present, and learn to enjoy each human interaction to its fullest, no matter who is involved. While we clearly still hold dear to our blood ties, we can see them as just part of our overall human family.

Where couples marry or practice together within the Sahaja Yoga community, this sense of detached enjoyment becomes even stronger and more profound. A Sahaj family enjoys the relaxed and yet deeply loving relationship that comes from a shared love of the spiritual path. Parents and children are united in the joy of the spirit and benefit collectively from the peace and balance that this gives. The detached love allows the relationships to flourish without being smothered by irrelevant and petty distractions.