We are living in times of rapid change. Everything is temporary, and yet we continue to grasp and hold on to our perceived realities with a tenacity that, ultimately, results in great suffering. We become “stressed” when we can’t have it our way. Stress creates resistance, resistance creates disharmony and disharmony creates dis-ease. A wise elder once told me that the definition of “stress” is “not liking the way something is on the outside of you.” The continued obsessing over what’s going on, on the outside is indeed unnecessary and self-destructive. The fallacy of this modern, technological, informational era is: that the more we know about the outside world, the safer, more peaceful and more in control we are of our lives, is becoming quite detrimental to us individually, as well as collectively. It is an addiction to a false sense of security, ironically steeping us in fear, and an allegiance to someone else’s perspective that is robbing us of our own sensibilities and the present moment.
“Your point of power is in the present moment.”
– Abraham Hicks
The truth is, I cannot control anything on the outside of me. I can participate in this beautiful incarnate opportunity, doing my part, offering my service, being kind and striving to be the best I can be. But, I cannot change anyone or anything but myself. The only way to control what I perceive on the outside is to control what is on the inside of me. When I struggle to change someone else’s perspective of reality I am meddling in their Karmic journey, whether it is a country, a minority, or my own adult child. This does not mean that I don’t share my life with others. It is as important to speak my truth, as it is to witness another’s truth. Letting go of attachment and perceived outcomes is the key to healthy relations. Blessed with two ears and one mouth, may I desire to listen more than I speak.
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
There is a divine blueprint for revelation dwelling deep within each individual soul for his or her own discovery, in his own time, and in her own way. We have the opportunity to grow in adversity, or perceived discomfort. The valleys in our lives seem to be the place where we finally realize the call for change and begin our transformation process. This is the proverbial “rock bottom” or muse that can facilitate growth, awareness and metamorphosis.
The first step to self-liberation is an honest look at how we enslave ourselves. No one and no thing has the power to shut me down or take away my freedom. If my perception is such, then I must take responsibility for how I have created a life of perceived limitation. And, I must put the brakes on blaming someone else for my plight. When blame is placed on another for our perceptions of reality, we unconsciously give our personal power and authority to the recipient of that blame. Thus we create the vicious perpetuation of our own perceived powerlessness. Perception is reality.
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Classical Yoga has been practiced for well over 4000 years as a path to self-awareness and liberation. In contrast to its modern Western transplanted forms, traditional Yoga practice essentially consists of ancient postures and meditative practices culminating in a state of consciousness free from all modes of active or discursive thought. Eventually attaining a state where consciousness is unaware of any object external to itself, that is, being only aware of its own nature as consciousness unmixed with any other object. This state is not only desirable in its own right, but its attainment guarantees the practitioner freedom from material pain or suffering, and, indeed, is the primary classical means of attaining liberation from the limited cycle of birth and death in the yogic traditions.
While the yoga asanas (postures) are beneficial to the body in so many ways, the actual practice is a means of clearing the mind and cultivating freedom from the thousands of extraneous thoughts that cross the mind each day.
A consistent practice begins to free the body from the mind, creating spacious between the vertebrae and disks, bringing fresh oxygen into the body, opening areas of tightness, chronic tension and relieving pain in mind and body. Those who make a commitment to the practice discover bliss in their bodies and a feeling of being at home in their own souls. There is often a newfound feeling of hope and purpose that is restored as mental perceptions, physical holding patterns and inertia are released through the gentle albeit powerful practice of traditional Hatha Yoga.
Hatha Yoga is the foundational discipline on which nearly all other styles of yoga are based. Classical Hatha addresses the musculoskeletal, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular & endocrine systems of the human body, placing emphasis on correct posture development and healthy anatomy. Consistent practice provides an excellent foundation for a lifetime of self-discovery, building strength and vitality. It is appropriate for beginner, intermediate and advanced students of all ages. A thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. Just begin. Namaste’ Lin
“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama