Aparigraha

A Mission Moment Share from Humble Haven’s Founder, Suzanne Burns

For the past several months, this monthly newsletter has been dedicated to an exploration of the Yamas - yoga’s moral observances that guide our relationship with others and the world around us. The first four yamas teach us compassion, honesty, non-stealing (not taking what is not freely given), and the right use of energy. Each teaching builds upon and relies on the others, leading us to the fifth yama: Aparigraha.

Aparigraha invites us to live without attachment. It speaks to non-attachment to possessions, beliefs, relationships, expectations, and outcomes. This teaching is sometimes misunderstood as suggesting that possessions are inherently bad, but it simply asks us to take only what we need. Yoga, at its core, asks us to look inward. The act of hoarding or clinging to something outside of ourselves may point to a lack of trust or faith within. Through the holistic practice of yoga, we begin to see what we are holding onto in unhealthy ways. This is where aparigraha and ahimsa - the practice of non-harm - work together. When we are unsure whether it is time to release something in our lives, we can ask ourselves whether remaining attached ultimately causes harm to ourselves or to others.

For the past ten years, I have been fortunate to devote my work to building and creating what has become Humble Haven Yoga as it exists today. Watching a personal vision come to life is an honor I wish for anyone who desires such an experience. Long before discovering yoga, service was an important part of my life, so creating something that offers care and well-being to others has made this journey even more meaningful.

After expanding our studio in 2023, I began to notice that my vision for Humble Haven was no longer growing. In many ways, it felt complete. Because Humble Haven is a community space, it has always felt like a living organism, continually growing, shifting, and evolving. To feel a sense of completion within a space meant to expand, not just physically but energetically and communally, felt misaligned. I turned to the teachings of aparigraha for guidance.

To witness a vision come fully to fruition is enough; to hold it longer felt excessive. As my teacher, Mary Jarvis, has said many times in her classes and trainings, “the only guarantee in yoga is time.” Even with a clear and intuitive understanding of the direction I needed to take, aparigraha also asked me to release attachment to the outcome. In practicing ahimsa and honoring Humble Haven as a space rooted in yoga, it has taken time for the right person to step forward, someone ready to carry the studio into its next chapter.

This season at Humble Haven is an invitation to practice aparigraha not as loss, but as trust, trust in timing, in community, and in the unfolding of what comes next. As we continue to root ourselves in the wisdom of yoga, may we each reflect on what we are being asked to hold, and what we are being asked to release, so that growth—both personal and collective—can continue with care and intention.