Honoring Swami Kripalu on his 110th Birthday: Cultivating and Nurturing the Witness as a Householder

by Betsy Marzahn-Ramos
Executive Director, Pranakriya School of Yoga Healing Arts

“Self-observation brings us closer to the truth. When the mind is steady, we can see a little truth. When the mind is disturbed, we can’t see anything. Growth allows a portion of the mind to remain an objective witness even in a disturbed state. The witness is always there, if one can keep a wakeful attitude in one’s self.” - Swami Kripalu

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you felt completely out of control? Off-the-rails, reacting to everything, and feeling things spiral around and within you? Now, think back, had you let go of your yoga practice around that time, or perhaps for quite some time before? Stopped sitting quietly in meditation because that time was a luxury you felt you could not afford? Ceased practicing asana because of an injury, space constraints, time limitations, health issues, or other? Let go of the practice of pranayama because the time would fly by, day by day, and there just wasn’t a moment to stop and work on it? “Forgotten” about the teachings of the ancient texts and those of our lineage and mentors because we will feel badly about ourselves and the fact that we are not living up to them? In times like this, do you ever feel that you are living outside your body, and not in an enlightened way?

This happens to me more than I’d like to admit. As a non-profit executive director, small business owner, wife, and mom to 2 young children, it’s clear that I would be lying if I said this does not happen to me - and often. When we let the demands of modern-day life take over, and shove the practice that we know can ground us onto the back burner, what happens? (That’s a rhetorical question answered in the first paragraph!) 

Why does this happen and what do we do about this? 

I definitely don’t have the answers, but let me remind all of us (as I am reminding myself primarily, of course) of some things we already know. First and foremost: 

“The highest form of spiritual practice is self-observation without judgment.” - Swami Kripalu

To me, this means that there is literally nothing more important than being able to witness myself without judgment. That is not always an easy thing to do, is it? But, how can I judge my very human behavior in the modern world by standards that were not meant originally for householders in this context? I am a householder, through and through. When I let go of judging myself for not upholding all the practices that I know help me keep the witness active, then I can stop “forgetting” the teachings that guide me into being a better version of myself. Those teachings include how to treat my body: cultivating a consistent daily routine, making sure to build in movement, eating nourishing foods and drinking beneficial liquids, etc. When I allow myself to feel worthy of remembering some of those teachings that make me feel better, I begin to feel more centered and grounded. If I judge myself harshly, I do not allow myself to feel worthy of these teachings. When I am able to stop judging myself, and allow my witness to grow in strength, my inherent worthiness and ineffable qualities become crystal clear. 

Going back to even some of the many teachings, then, reminds me that, in my householder context, I do not always have to set aside 90 minutes per day for the practices of meditation, asana, pranayama, and integration. If I am judging myself, I may tell myself the story that only if I set aside a large amount of time, like Swami Kripalu, or Yoganand may have done, will they have a positive impact and this is the way they have to be done. 

Not so. 

“Seekers who believe they must practice yoga only in the meditation room are under a great illusion. They must practice yoga in society as well. Practicing yoga in the meditation room is easy because there are no external disturbances. But one encounters many disturbances while practicing yoga in society, which makes it very difficult. The true yogi is one who can successfully protect his mental steadiness while in society.” - Swami Kripalu

Right… another teaching that can be easy to “forget”. 

I have found that sometimes just 2 minutes of pranayama, 5 minutes of gentle asana, 2 minutes of pranayama, 3 minutes of meditation, and 2 minutes of integration can do the trick. That’s 14 minutes. Many of us spend more time than that doing something that undermines our self-valuation, daily. If you are stuck in this cycle of all-or-nothing, where I occasionally find myself as well, try it. Every time I go back to this very short practice, it is so powerful that I end up leaving my mat and bolster out on the floor in my office so I don’t neglect the practice the next day. 

Is it as earth-shattering as a 75-minute class with a Pranakriya or Kripalu teacher? No, not usually, but I also cannot always process those big transformations in the context of my daily life. I do, however, always benefit from the centering and grounding provided by bringing in all of the elements of our practice in a very brief way. I find that I come out of those 14 or so minutes with new ideas, greater clarity, a sense of calm that allows me to thoughtfully respond rather than react, and a renewed love for my work and those who I serve. Engaging in the practice in order to achieve those results is a concrete example of how we can nurture our witness even with the demands of modern life. 

Finally, love. 

“Those who plant the seed of love in their heart will have to nourish it with the water of patience. Whenever you are able to practice patience with your family members and loved ones, know that true religion is entering into your life. Love has a divine power. When the grand tree of love grows in the heart of a person, their language, eyes, and actions are miraculously transformed. As a result, individuals who come in contact with them also receive the seeds of love. Thus, love brings happiness to oneself as well as to others.”

I find it easier to nourish love “with the water of patience” when my own witness is strong. Being in this state allows me to see myself, others, and circumstances much more clearly. I have learned through the practice of metta, to find and express lovingkindness for myself and for all others, to the point where I can see and feel their hearts. It does not matter if we are close, do not like each other, or do not know each other. Without a nurtured witness, however, this practice falls flat, leaving me feeling distant, frustrated, and unloving toward even myself. For me, the openness required to really experience love and send love in this way can only be done when I am in a safe space with myself; with a strong witness to hold me. 

So, on this, Swami Kripalu’s birthday, which conveniently comes near the beginning of our calendar year, I challenge myself to work more intentionally on cultivating and nurturing my witness through the practice, daily, in whatever way I can manage. I do this as an honor to Swami Kripalu, Yoganand, and our whole lineage; to my students, family and others I serve; and to myself. By doing this, I am doing my part to bring Swami Kripalu’s teachings into my daily life to help me become the best human version of myself I can, every day. 

Happy Birthday, Bapuji, and thank you.

Jai Bhagwan!