As the year winds down and the holidays draw near, we often hear phrases/lyrics like “Good will toward men” or “Peace on Earth.” In the yoga tradition, these aspirations are woven beautifully into Sutra 1.33, a verse that offers a simple formula for personal peace and collective harmony all year long.
While the world around us may accelerate into a swirl of gatherings, gift lists, obligations, and expectations, this sutra invites us inward. It asks us to consider:
The Four Heart Practices
Patañjali’s prescription for a calm mind is surprisingly practical:
1. Maitrī — Friendliness toward the happy
Instead of comparing or feeling diminished by others’ joy, can we celebrate it?
During the holidays, this might mean appreciating someone else’s excitement, success, or abundance without slipping into jealousy or scarcity.
2. Karuṇā — Compassion for the suffering
Not everyone enters the holiday season feeling light. Grief, loneliness, financial stress, and family challenges can intensify.
Compassion is the practice of seeing someone clearly and offering presence, not solutions.
3. Muditā — Delight in the virtuous
Muditā calls us to rejoice in goodness wherever we find it.
Notice the kindness of a stranger, the generosity of a friend, or the sincerity of someone trying their best. Let these moments inspire you rather than trigger self-critique.
4. Upekṣā — Equanimity toward the non-virtuous
The holidays can bring us into contact with difficult personalities — the opinionated uncle, the stressed-out coworker, the irritable shopper in line.
Upekṣā doesn’t mean indifference; it means holding steady, remembering that others’ actions arise from their own conditioning, pain, or confusion. It’s the practice of not absorbing what doesn’t belong to us.
The Holidays as Practice Ground
In a way, the holiday season is the perfect laboratory for Sutra 1.33.
“Good will toward men” often sounds like an outward directive, but yoga reminds us that it begins with our inner state.
A calm mind radiates outward, while a reactive mind creates ripples of turmoil.
Sutra 1.33 is both a personal compass and a community offering.
As you move through this season, consider returning to these heart qualities again and again. You might even choose one each week to focus on, journal about, or weave into your practice.
Before or after practice, you might pause and ask:
Peace on Earth begins with peace in the mind.
Good will toward all begins with good will within.
Wishing you a season filled with spaciousness, connection, and heart-centered ease.
While the world around us may accelerate into a swirl of gatherings, gift lists, obligations, and expectations, this sutra invites us inward. It asks us to consider:
- What attitudes am I bringing with me into this season?
- How am I contributing to peace — or agitation — within my own heart?
The Four Heart Practices
Patañjali’s prescription for a calm mind is surprisingly practical:
1. Maitrī — Friendliness toward the happy
Instead of comparing or feeling diminished by others’ joy, can we celebrate it?
During the holidays, this might mean appreciating someone else’s excitement, success, or abundance without slipping into jealousy or scarcity.
2. Karuṇā — Compassion for the suffering
Not everyone enters the holiday season feeling light. Grief, loneliness, financial stress, and family challenges can intensify.
Compassion is the practice of seeing someone clearly and offering presence, not solutions.
3. Muditā — Delight in the virtuous
Muditā calls us to rejoice in goodness wherever we find it.
Notice the kindness of a stranger, the generosity of a friend, or the sincerity of someone trying their best. Let these moments inspire you rather than trigger self-critique.
4. Upekṣā — Equanimity toward the non-virtuous
The holidays can bring us into contact with difficult personalities — the opinionated uncle, the stressed-out coworker, the irritable shopper in line.
Upekṣā doesn’t mean indifference; it means holding steady, remembering that others’ actions arise from their own conditioning, pain, or confusion. It’s the practice of not absorbing what doesn’t belong to us.
The Holidays as Practice Ground
In a way, the holiday season is the perfect laboratory for Sutra 1.33.
- When emotions run high, practice equanimity.
- When gatherings bring joy, practice friendliness.
- When someone struggles, practice compassion.
- When goodness shines through small gestures, practice delight.
“Good will toward men” often sounds like an outward directive, but yoga reminds us that it begins with our inner state.
A calm mind radiates outward, while a reactive mind creates ripples of turmoil.
Sutra 1.33 is both a personal compass and a community offering.
As you move through this season, consider returning to these heart qualities again and again. You might even choose one each week to focus on, journal about, or weave into your practice.
Before or after practice, you might pause and ask:
- Where can I offer friendliness today?
- Who might need compassion from me — or from themselves?
- What goodness can I celebrate?
- Where can I hold equanimity and not take things personally?
Peace on Earth begins with peace in the mind.
Good will toward all begins with good will within.
Wishing you a season filled with spaciousness, connection, and heart-centered ease.
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