The word jealousy has been floating around my ears lately and a few folks have asked me about how to eradicate or deal with this uncomfortable feeling in the body.
Sensations like a burning in the ears or face, rage under the skin or a deep sadness for feeling a lack of something can creep in and before we know it, we have let that green eyed monster into our being.
This feeling can be so intense that sometimes we may feel tempted to bury our face into it and hold on even tighter by ruminating on the qualities we perceive we lack or the physical possessions we do in fact lack.
If we choose this route, we are at risk in hating our fellow person, and we start to feel ill will to others around us. It can even go so far as back-biting, tale-biting or vilification of the person we are jealous of. If we reach these states, we are not only harming ourselves but the people around us that deep down we admire. Left unchecked, this causes disease for you and the one you are jealous of.
The truth is though, that there are ways to move through to the other side of this feeling to Magnanimity.
Google defines magnanimity as "(from Latin magnanimitās, from magna "big" + animus "soul, spirit") is the virtue of being great of mind and heart. It encompasses, usually, a refusal to be petty, a willingness to face danger, and actions for noble purposes."
The pattern of jealousy of mind can be released through practising focusing the mind on magnanimity.
Let visions of people in your life that exude magnanimity flood to your mind as a beacon of light to what is possible. Shine that light on your heart. There is only one you, and you are perfect. Meditate on this vision daily. In this truth, there is not need to be jealous because you are all you need.
Karma Yogi’s do acts of service with no expectations of reward, and it is believed this will help a person rid of their lower nature without much effort other than the labour of love dedicated to surrendering to the oneness of everything. The self you are is perfect how it is. You are not in need of gaining or losing anything. It is this truth that will help to set you free. The mind becomes focused on the heart as inspiration to do the karma work and the mind follows to this love, and the jealousy falls away.
The thing about yoga is that it has a deep understanding of the mind and realizing how much power the mind has in creation and manifesting our reality. Where the mind goes the body follows. Change your mind, change your habits.
Who wants to feel the pain of jealousy in their body if they do not have too?
Focus your mind on self love in meditation, or on the feeling of all one, and jealousy will vanish. Know you are perfect just as you are and jealousy will disappear.