Having spent some of the holiday season with my family, I am reminded of what I was like when I was younger...stubborn, competitive, sarcastic and self-righteous. I had times where my moods would swing from being hyperactive to quite sullen and shy. Many people who meet me today might be surprised at my former, more negative self as the general comment I get is that I'm calm and even keeled. People have asked me if I have always been that way and based on what I mentioned above, the answer would be "no".
Anytime we come across somebody who is centered, relaxed, calm and emitting a sense of serenity, we can bet they weren't born that way. That state is one that has likely been a lifelong endeavor of regular practice, a conscious and intentional choice. This past week the focus of classes as we closed out 2015 was to be forgiving and look toward reconciliation with ourselves and those around us. We were encouraged to clean the slate and clear the energetic channels that flow through us so that we can step into 2016 with an open heart. Healing our own stuff is a regular practice that involves recognizing what's blocked, honoring what it has taught us and moving on. 2015 has been a rough year with a seemingly high focus on extreme acts of violence and injustice, so what better way to enter the new year than with a sense of compassionate optimism?
One quote that resonated deeply with me this past week was by Billy Cox:
"If you wish to change what's going on around you, change what's going on within you."
So often this is where our yoga practice starts...we begin within. Each week I have the honor of seeing many of the same students, some who've been coming to classes with me for more than nine years and many who have practiced much longer than that. I get to bear witness to their individual journeys and see the outpouring of their many great deeds. I know that each time they step onto the mat or sit down in meditation, they are fertilizing the seed of their own good heartedness and, as a result, they spread this sensibility throughout the web of their lives. They are making conscious and intentional choices to show up in their practice and connect to a more peaceful and loving sense of being.
It's so easy to get pulled away from our inner selves. We may have an argument with someone or watch the horrible news of the day or covet what the Jones's have and are drawn away from our own center. So often we spend our time looking outside of ourselves for love, validation, answers or happiness that we forget that the answer most likely lies close by...within our own selves. So instead of turning outward, give yourself the gift of looking in. See what is lying within you, what your heart is asking and what words your deeper sense of self are whispering to you. If our world is loud and toxic it's nearly impossible to do this which means making room for our own selves is not only insightful, but vital to our overall balanced health.
My continued intention as we head into 2016 is to deepen my own daily practice. It's not a short-listed New Year's resolution, but a deep commitment to self over the long haul. My other continued intention is to support as many people as possible in finding a way for them to connect to themselves from a loving and deeply intimate perspective. What works for me may not be right for another, so holding the space for personal exploration is vital. Whatever works for each of us is worthy of pursuit, so as we enter the new year and flip the calendar from 2015 to 2016, ask your heart the question-"what do you need from me this year?"
May 2016 be a year filled with compassion and peace. May it be filled with self-discovery and self-love. And may we continue to walk this path together, hearts wide open and in harmony with all other beings.
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