Giving in

We all go through "stuff". We all have stories.

We all go through daily ups and downs.

Yoga has taught me that the mind can play lots of "tricks"; it is truly like a wild horse that just wants to romp free... to think any which way.

Yes, the chaotic, untamed, wild-horsey of a mind is just a little, shall we say, cray-cray?!

A lot of clients and friends are telling me the past few weeks have been chaotic for them-- inside and out! Emotions and relationships are running wild. I have definitely felt that same turmoil bubbling and boiling in my mind, body and heart!

When the heat is turned up, there is a natural fight or flight instinct that comes up. When my students are in hip-openers or hamstring opening poses and some inversions, that same feeling of inner heat creates a desire to rush through the pose and just be done with it. BUT... this is when we need to hold-- be patient-- listen-- breathe and tap into that inner still, quiet place beneath the fire of release happening. I tell my students to be with the sensation and get out of the mind, because that is where all that struggle is occurring.

I tell you that life is like one long yoga pose. If we give into the mind and its impatience, we will fall out of our center, just like we want to consciously or subconsciously fall out of an intense asana in our practice.

Being a yogi is not about doing poses on a mat. A true yogi is ALWAYS doing yoga-- because it is a practice of the mind. If you are present with yourSelf in each moment, you are doing yoga.

The power and strength lies in the EVERY MOMENT presence. Ram Dass called it out when he wrote "Be Here Now". That's all we need: to BE... right HERE... right NOW.

Simple, right?

Hahaha. The great cosmic joke is the ego=the personality that makes us who we are as a human being. I remember having a profound spiritual opening just after I graduated from college and began working a few "soul-sucking" jobs. I was working with a spiritual teacher at the time and reading Krishnamurti and some Tibetan Buddhist stuff. I had also read through Seth books and Barbara Marciniak channeled works. I was also obsessed with the movie "Waking Life" at the time, just to give you a picture of where I was in my mind and with my Spirit. I was in this space of feeling the need to absolve my ego or somehow detach from it.

I remember having a day off from work and sitting in my living room on a sunny summer day with nothing to do. The mind likes to be active and have problems to solve, so usually in a dull moment, it comes up with some sort of question to ponder or thoughts to bounce around-- maybe feelings of some recent event, etc. In this moment there was NOTHING. I sat looking at my books with no desire to pick one up just to keep busy. In fact, I was happy just sitting and being with no desire for anything or to DO anything. This was a satori (an awakening) for me. I felt this deep sense of peace wash over me-- taking me over: it was bliss!

"This is it!" I thought. "This is what life is meant to be like: problem free, easygoing, light-filled and simple."
A teacher friend then called me and we had a nice chat where I shared this experience with him. He put it well: "The ego likes problems. Just watch, soon the mind will come up with something to stew on. But enjoy this peace-- anchor in it." Sure enough within a short time there was something to occupy my mind with and keep me busy "doing".
That doing I've found is the difference between ego-self and the spirit or soul-self. Ego likes DOING.

The Spirit likes Peace. Surrender. Presence. Stillness. Being!

The paradox is finding the Spirit in the storm. Being the peace in the chaos; the stillnes amongst the constant busyness.

This is why I chose the lotus for Inner Bloom: the beauty that lies in the muddy, mucky waters.

Here is one of my favorite hand mudras, lotus mudra. Try it! It stimulates the sensation of the lotus... that beauty, peace and profound stillness that resides within each one of us-- IS US!

Enjoy it!

~Sarah owns Inner Bloom, offering yoga, reflexology and energy work for deep release, healing and well-being. Sessions are local (Rochester, NY) and phone sessions are available for Reiki and Intuitive healing work

www.innerbloomyoga.com