‘I have been so sad about leaving your classes.’ These were the words from a weekly student of some 5 years, after her final evening class at my studio last week. She lives in the country and has just rented out her city apartment so no longer can come. We are creatures of habit and many of us rely on routine and familiarity to guide us through our week, our lives. Change is inevitable, but how we choose to respond will influence our perceptions, our emotions, our thoughts, as well as the outcome. This is how she chose to respond…
I have taken some time out to sit quietly to read the ‘Soul’ book you gave me and have been inspired by the following entry. Thank-you so much.
Change is not something that we should fear.
Rather, it is something that we should welcome
For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom,
And no one in this world would ever move forward
To become the person they’re meant to be.
I was heartened by this student’s capacity to find an insightful way to move forward. I know it is not easy for her. However a clear demonstration she has learnt much more than physical poses on the mat over the past 5 years.
I reminded myself of her response last Saturday as I baked some cakes….baking is not a regular activity for me these days however we had guests for afternoon tea on Sunday. I’d baked both these cakes once before and both had turned out less than perfect! ‘They still taste the same’ my husband says to me! However somehow I could not ‘let go’ of the image of the ‘perfect’ cakes that my friends bake…
My realisation, as I stood beating the eggs, was about letting go…and in the moment what I needed to drop was..
Expectation – my striving from school days for the top grade in the class.
Responsibility – I’m sure my visitors will have a good time regardless of the cakes.
Self-talk – Where is it written that I must be good at all things?
I truly believe that there are NO shortcuts (sorry for those who have read this far!), however below are some practical ideas:
For the everyday person
- Practise simple self-care – buy a beautiful organic body lotion, light a candle with a relaxing fragrance, cook a simple nourishing meal.
- Be out in nature, connect externally with all your senses.
- Talk honestly to someone in person, face to face. Not on email, Facebook, mobile…!
For the regular yoga student
- Be in your favourite yoga pose for two minutes. Aim to loosen the grip, soften your breath.
- Sit still and watch your ‘monkey’ mind for a few minutes, be the observer, simply watch, no judgement.
- Take a full yoga nidra or rest for 15 minutes in a restorative pose.
For those on a spiritual path
- Increase the length of your daily meditation practice.
- Practise antar mouna, all six stages, one stage per month.
- Read from the Scriptures daily and invite this to create acceptance and understanding of your current life.
- Or book yourself in for an upcoming Event.