Consider Your LIfe

Changes in life are bound to happen.  There is a quote that says, nothing is constant but change.  There are times when I have embraced change, and others when the change seems to come when I don't quite feel ready.  Usually it's for the better, but in the moment of sudden changes, it can seem very overwhelming.  Some changes in life have thrown me off my feet, while others seem like a gentle tap into a new direction.  A dear friend of mine has a simple saying, "you want to move towards something, not run away from something."   It's at those times where I feel overwhelmed with wanting to change, but feeling stuck, that I remember this.  Keeping myself grounded in my practice of yoga, breathing and prayer, helps me to stand in the eye of the storm when all I want to do is run away.  Of course having supportive people around you is also a great source of strength, but finding that inner strength that comes from the Source is the anchor.  As you get older, or are faced with a challenging situation in life, it seems natural to contemplate the direction life has taken you.  I found a wonderful quote from the Dalai Lama that reminds us to ponder this without the "gentle nudges" that life often swings our way, and to be true to ourselves.  I'd like to share it with you:

"There is only one important point you must keep in your mind and let it be your guide.  No matter what people call you, you are just who you are.  Keep to this truth.  You must ask yourself how it is that you want to life your life.  We live and we die, this is the truth that we can only face alone.  No one can help us, not even the Buddha.  So consider carefully, what prevents you from living the way you want to live your life?"

Doubt the Doubt

Over the weekend I was listening to a lecture by Baron Baptiste.  He's a very well known national yoga teacher.  He was talking about self doubt and mentioned the phrase, "Doubt the Doubt."  I really love this!  Everyone, from time to time, has some self doubt, myself included.  I personally think that self-doubt can sabotage you from getting what you really want in life.  The key is to believe in yourself.  It's not always easy, especially if past circumstances have not gone as planned, but it's better to take a risk and have faith than to let self doubt keep you prisoner of the past.  Trust your intuition and learning to hear that "voice" is an ongoing lesson.  Most spiritual teachers that I know of say meditation is the way to find that inner knowing.  Reminds me of a quote that the ashtanga master, Pattabhi Jois is so famously quoted as saying, " Practice and all is coming."  So I plan to use "Doubt the Doubt" as my slogan for conquering self-defeating patterns of thinking and keep practicing.  Try it and see what manifests in your life!