Part of living in an ashram is abiding by a dress code of all white, white is the colour of purity and is said to positively shift and expand ones auric field. In a way, this dress code is meant to create a sense of normalcy by taking away the “distraction” of our image perceived through dress. To create a sort of universal image that isn’t reliant on our existing sense of self image and identity. Now as someone who attended a private school with a high standard of dress code, this all white thing was a huge challenge to conform to. I always saw the uniform method as a failure. Just like the all white in the ashram, its intention was to create an environment in which we focus less on our outer layer if you will and to strip our connection to material which is honestly great; however, I found that uniforms muffled a developing individuals ability to express themselves which is by no means the intention at an ashram as we are meant to dissolve some of the limitations we hold in ourselves around the “me” or “I.” Regardless, this sort of rule definitely brought up residual feelings around the experience of uniforms.
In my experience my positivity and higher vibration is so much around what I feel good in. When I would ask my ashram roommate “can I wear this Wu Tang shirt to fire puja (ceremony),” she would give me the nod of no probably not. Bless her for having to put up with my eccentricities, she was right, this wasn’t an environment in which a black and yellow shirt with a big symbol would be recognized as acceptable to wear. When I think of the teachings of Wu Tang and how empowering of an expression it is of my higher vibration in a place where I’m coming with these teachings of the Wu in devotion. I found this to be quite disheartening. Sure white may lift my auric presence, sure wearing a uniform to school will take away from flashy distractions. I need to be clear, it’s not that I don’t think its okay to have these sorts of rules in place, what I’m saying is that it’s also okay to not be okay with it. And that’s something we experience in our lives and among the pressures of expectations placed on us. I don’t think finding order is reliant on all looking the same but rather in the chaos of the world staying in our authenticity, through our vibration and through sitting with what makes us who we are. To literally wear our resilience while remaining aware that chaos will always be present. At some point we have to leave the ashram or private school and then what? I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from RZA of the Wu Tang Clan.
