If you are anything like me, technology is not your friend. My idea of doing anything I.T. related is going to buy my friend Les a case of beer in exchange for his help.

At last week’s MvM meeting Toe Jams Monica, Jay and I were discussing Twitter. I was extremely lost through the entire conversation and was mortified when they said I needed a Twitter account. So I did my google research and found that this Twitter thing was not all that bad. This Twitter thing was actually just another way for me to take my yoga practice off my mat.

Contrary to popular belief yoga is about much more than touching your toes. In fact, asana (the physical practice where you do yoga postures) is only one small portion of what yoga is truly about.

Twitter can relate to many elements of a yogi lifestyle. Some of them include:

Ahimsa (non harming)

Ahimsa is about more than not harming another person. Ahimsa also includes not harming the environment. By using Twitter we are actually being environmentally friendly because we are able to share files, exchange business cards, share images, etc. electronically.

Satya (truthfulness)

Twitter forces you to tell the truth. It is hard to lie about your whereabouts when on Twitter. You cannot tweet that you are “at home watching movies” when in reality you are at the local pub getting wasted.

Brahmacharya (celibacy when single and fully committed when in a relationship)

Cheaters are outted on social networking sites- just ask ______ (I promised I wouldn’t ever mention his name on this site so I will honor that and wish him all the best!)

Mindfulness

At first I thought Twitter was just another brain numbing activity, like I really care if Sally just ate a ham sandwich or if Ashton Kutcher just blew his nose. Twitter can actually make the user much more mindful in their day-to-day activities. I noticed this instantly when I went to my dad’s house and saw that he was duct taping the screen door and I said to myself, wow I should really take a picture and tweet this it might make people laugh. Twitter is making me open my eyes and look at things in my life that are “twitter worthy”.

Life is routine and routine is resistance to wonder. So get out of autopilot and open your eyes to what is happening around you. –Abraham Joshua Heschel

Kula (community)

Just like yogis, twitter users have their own community of people. You are able to use Twitter to connect with and/or follow like-minded people. You can talk to people about topics that are of interest to you and share/find resources that are of interest to you.

Language

Yoga has its official language called Sanskrit. Twitter also has its own language (#hashtags, @replies, retweets, direct messages, etc.)

Aparigraha (non possessiveness)

Essentially in both your yoga practice and your twitter practice you are sharing your life with others. You can share thoughts, images, videos, etc.

Karma Yoga (taking action)

I attend many karma yoga classes monthly where the money is donated to charity. Twitter does the same by allowing users to raise money or start a petition.

So join me on my quest to live yogically and add me to your twitter! – Find me at @LivingYogically

Hence, there is a time to go ahead and a time to stay behind.
There is a time to breathe easy and a time to breathe hard.
There is a time to be vigorous and a time to be gentle.
There is a time to gather and a time to release.
Can you see things as they are
And let them be all on their own?

-Lao-tzu

Peace, peace, peace

NAT

NEXT WEEK! I honour mom