aitrī karuṇā muditopekṣāṇām sukha duḥkha puṇyāpuṇya viṣayāṇam bhāvanātaś citta prasādanam
The Yoga Sutras 1.33

Translation: By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.

It was fall 2020. I was in the long line of folks waiting to drop kids off at school when someone in a big SUV zipped by all of us, creating their own lane to unload students swiftly before cutting off another vehicle who was attempting to exit correctly. Maybe this person was off to save a life or attend to an emergency of their own. I was certain this was not the case. WICKED! I thought. This person is WICKED! I was waiting patiently—or at least in the prescribed lane—just like all of the parents in front of me and behind me. I had next places to go too. We all did.

“Wicked” was a direct reference to my favorite of Pantajali’s Yoga Sutras, 1.33, which instructs that, when we encounter people whose behavior conflicts with our values or beliefs, we should not let them get under our skin:  “By cultivating attitudes of… disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.” Remembering this wisdom (so similar to my mother’s advice to “ignore” my younger brother when he was antagonizing me) I realized my inner rage was only hurting me. I wasn’t taking constructive action to right a wrong here. Just stewing. I needed to move on.

Yoga sutra 1.33 also tells us to be happy for (not annoyed by) those who are happy (and perhaps whistling, singing, or loud-chatting while we are trying to work), find compassion for those who are sad, and be delighted and inspired by great people, aiming to emulate and develop their good qualities in ourselves.

When we’re working to respond with friendliness, compassion, delight and disregard (or restraint), again and again, doing so gets easier over time. Of course, it helps, too, if you’re starting from a grounded place. That’s the power of a consistent practice. And it can be fun to find ways to embody a sutra. Here are a few ideas to infuse a little 1.33 on the mat:

• In seated meditation, a child's pose, or even a downward-facing dog, scan the body to notice areas that feel pleasant. Celebrate those sensations.

• If a strong emotion strikes during a practice, allow yourself to feel into it rather than push it away. Offer yourself grace and compassion.

• When things feel particularly “wicked”—you’re sore, or tight, or just not feeling the flow—restrain yourself from spiraling into a cascade of thoughts by bringing your focus back to the breath.