Every now and again we find our schedules packed full. Sometimes this is a result of outside forces and is a phase we must travel through. Other times it is the sum result of our choices and the willingness to idolize the busy-ness of life. When this happens we tend to let go of the things that fill us up. We tend to deviate from our spiritual path and fall into survival mode; getting what needs to be done and that is about it. A mentor of mine recently told me, “Trish, sometimes maintaining is moving forward. It is important to not lose our practice both in faith and in yoga. Always be in the practice.”
For me right now, I am experiencing the outside forces and choices converging. I know it is for a time and my choices are ones that will push me toward where I want to arrive. It is important to allow space each day to get on our mats, to meditate, to connect with those we love whether near or far away from us. Give space to breathe into our body and get a read on where we are at in mind, body and soul so we don’t lose ourselves and our direction.
My mat provides me this space of inner contemplation and allows me to reset my compass. I steal away 10 minutes two to three times per day to meditate. This gives my mind the peace and rest to sojourn through the current chaos. My weekends are technology light so I may be present to my loved ones who are near and I keep connected to those my heart calls to through virtual and voice means. Every tendency within me wants to retreat, slam down the protective barrier to the heart, and become numb in order to get what needs to be done, done. My inner circle knows this about me and I love them for asking me deeper things and asking me how they can be present for me so I don’t lose myself in the barriers of the default cages I put around my heart. They check in when I have no strength to reach out. They are brave and I love them so for it. I need to stay in the flow of my practice and connection to God and to my heart.
Our yoga practice helps us focus our mind on our breath, to find stillness. We live in a world opposite of this. Our senses and monkey minds are stimulated with various forms of technology, advertisements and communications. And awards badges of honor for being busy and ‘doing it all’. Our yoga practice helps us to rise above this crazy. It strengthens our ability to stand aside and reflect, without judgement, and be the witness to what’s happening around us; to observe ourselves and how we relate to the world.
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the Indian classic texts. It tells the story of Arjuna, a Prince who finds himself on the battlefield opposite his cousins, ready to fight for the Kingdom. Arjuna is uncomfortable with the idea of battle as he will be fighting against relatives and causing death. Arjuna asks Krishna to be his charioteer. Krishna stays by his side and offers his knowledge about the meaning of life. Consequently, Krishna teaches Arjuna the meaning of yoga. There is one part of the Bhagavad Gita that teaches us we will always deviate from the spiritual path. This is known as ‘yogat calita-manasah'. It’s in our nature to get distracted and search for change - this is our ego stepping in. Our minds are fickle (shocker, right??!!). We as humans are malleable and can be pushed and pulled in different directions with ease unless we are grounded in our practice both in faith and in yoga.
Arjuna asks in the Bhagavad Gita what happens if we deviate from our spiritual path; “...What is the fate of the unsuccessful yogi who begins the path with faith, but who does not endeavor sufficiently, due to unsteady mind, and is unable to reach the goal of Yoga in this life?” - Chapter 6, verse 37 Followed by; “Does not such a person who deviates from Yoga get deprived of both material and spiritual success, O mighty-armed Krishna, and perish like a broken cloud with no position in either sphere?” - Chapter 6 verse 38.
I once heard a teacher of mine describe these verses using imagery of clouds. God made us all and we are all connected—one prana, one breath. A single cloud in the sky sometimes deviates from a small cloud and joins a big one. If it cannot join a big one, then it is blown away by the wind and becomes a nonentity in the vast sky. This resonates with me. It reminds me if we lose our way, it doesn’t make us bad yogis, it makes us human. It’s our nature, just as a cloud drifting and taking a different form is a cloud’s nature. The important part is finding our practice again or being aware of the drifting and coming back sooner.
“A man must find time for himself. Time is what we spend our lives with. If we are not careful we find others spending it for us. . . . It is necessary now and then for a man to go away by himself and experience loneliness; to sit on a rock in the forest and to ask of himself, 'Who am I, and where have I been, and where am I going?' . . . If one is not careful, one allows diversions to take up one's time—the stuff of life.” ~Carl Sandburg.
What is the take away? Even in the chaos we need to be still. We need to heal so we also need to feel. Don’t lose your way. God always leads. Stay in the practice. Your dharma awaits your potential!!
So here we go…in the flow….onward and upward.
