Being in the Stillness

Yoga can certainly change your life in many ways, but it won’t stop life from happening.   There will still be challenges, times of pain, heartache, and setbacks.  What yoga and meditation teaches us is to move from a place of being involuntarily reactive to mindfully responsive.

Sometimes, this requires taking a few breaths, sitting with your emotions, and noticing what you feel.  What you may find is that underneath the emotion is perhaps an unhealed trigger point, or old emotional wound.  These old wounds can lurk in the background subconsciously affecting the way we interact with the world.  Overtime, it can also become our filter for the way we see reality.

Here is an example.  If as a child, you were bitten by a dog, you may still continue to see every dog that comes across your path as a threat, even if the dog in front of you is sweet, friendly, and perfectly harmless to you. So what to do?  Start by noticing.  Bring your awareness to what is happening internally.  Observe yourself without judgment.  Ask yourself is this something I am ready to work through? If the answer is no, then that is simply just where you are in that moment.  No need for judgment or reprimand.  Offer yourself love, compassion, and understanding. Be kind and forgive yourself.

Once you are ready to heal, set an intention to release yourself from the bind of an old wound.  Know that there are many forms of healing whether it is through asana (physical yoga practice), meditation, or sound, among others.  Ask for guidance, trust that your request is heard, and just see what happens next.  Remember that healing is a process requiring patience, compassion, and love.