Note: For the complete lessons, with additions, see the AYP Easy Lessons for Ecstatic Living Books.

Lesson 166 - Q&A – Pay It forward

From: Yogani
Date: Wed Apr 14, 2004 1:55pm

New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the web archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"

Q: I am reading through your messages on your yahoo group and finding them very clear, informative and balanced. This is a very valuable inspiration for people taking up and maintaining their meditation practice. So thank you for the hard work you have put into this resource. I have forwarded the URL on your yahoo group to over 1800 people on my distribution list and I'm sure many of them will gain help from it.

A: Thank you very much for passing the group link on to so many others. Posting the truest and most effective knowledge of practices in the lessons is the most important thing in my life at this stage. Next most important is spreading word of the existence of the lessons to as many as possible. It is at the point now where I want to encourage others to do the same as you have done.

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A few years ago a movie came out in America called "Pay It Forward." It is a story about a young boy who had a school assignment to come up with a way to change the world in a good way. His idea was to help three people in serious need, with the only condition being that if they felt helped they should do the same for three other people needing help, passing on the condition of helping three more people in serious need, and so on. He presented his project in class, showing the math on how many thousands, and eventually millions, would be helped by this system. Everyone, including his teacher, said, "Wow," and that was the end of it.

But that wasn't the end of it. You see, this young boy actually went out and helped three people, each who had a serious problem, and gave them the condition of doing the same for three other people. It wasn't easy, and there were a lot of difficulties, but he did it. Later on, after he did the initial helping, everything seemed to be going wrong, and he got discouraged because nothing good seemed to be coming from the effort. But it was. Unknown to him, the web of help was spreading out fast, and by the end of the story... well, I won't tell you. Go see the movie. It is very inspiring.

AdvancedYogaPractices is a "pay it forward" project. It is my way of saying thank you to all the great ones who have gone before. It is because of them that we have yoga practices today, enabling us to purify and open our nervous systems to the divine within us. Yoga works, especially if it is allowed the flexibility to be integrated and optimized to suit the needs of every individual. The guru is ever within us all.

Many have written with their thanks for the lessons. I am very happy that the lessons have been helpful to others. The helpfulness to others is my reward. Nothing else is needed, except one thing.

If these lessons have been helpful to you in some way, if you think you have received some value, then please "pay it forward" in your own way.

Maybe you have a wide network you can access, like the kind person above who sent the group link to 1,800 people. Or maybe you have just three friends you know who could benefit from the information here. Tell them about it. And tell them, if they feel helped, would they please "pay it forward" too. Like that.

Paying it forward is the only request here. It is the only prasad (divine offering). If you give that, you will receive blessings a thousand-fold in return from the rising light of the many you have helped with their yoga practices.

If you don't think this is a good idea, that is okay. It is only an idea. All are always welcome here, regardless of opinions.

Do your daily yoga practices and enjoy the results. If you got help here, even if you don't wish to pass the word about the lessons, go out and help three people in need... help three people with a serious problem, share your good will. And then, if they are obliged, tell them to go help three others. "Pay It forward" works with or without these lessons in the loop.

It's a good idea for everyone. It is a natural behavior that comes from daily yoga practices, the rise of ecstatic bliss, and the endless outflow of divine love. "Pay It forward" is a yoga practice that promotes unity, the highest stage of enlightenment.

So try it. Share your light in a substantial way. See how good it feels.

The guru is in you.

Note: For detailed discussion on the role of service on our spiritual path, see the AYP Bhakti and Karma Yoga book.

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