A Change in the Weather

Tinted Trunks, photograph by Stephanie Funke

I suppose for mid-October we're experiencing exactly the type of weather we should be in Iowa.  But after about 3 weeks of the leaves turning brilliant shades of red and orange while still maintaining sunny skies and 70-something degree weather, fifty degrees and rainy takes its toll.  As I was driving to my bootcamp class this morning at 5:00 in the cold, dark rain, a heavy cloud settled over me.  It seemed like it was summer five minutes ago.  At this hour, the birds would be chirping and the sun beginning to rise.  Another season had passed by in the blink of an eye.  When I arrived at the gym, I took up a conversation with one of the tennis instructors who was there for an early morning tennis drill.  As we were lamenting about the gloomy day, she said jokingly, "The funny thing is, in a few months we'll be celebrating a day like today!"  How true!  That dreary cloud that had settled over me suddenly lifted as I remembered that I have the choice to make today gloomy and depressing or beautiful and comforting.  And so do you.  Everyday we have that choice.  We can make the worst of something, or, we can change our perception and accept things for what they are.

The yoga sutras talk about changing one's attitude towards situations rather than hoping or trying to change the situation itself.

When presented with disquieting thoughts or feelings, cultivate an opposite, elevated attitude.  This is Pratipaksha Bhavana.  (11.33) 

So for example, if someone does something that annoys you, take that negative feeling and turn it into something positive.  At the supermarket the other day, the cashier was rather unpleasant.  It was easy to be unpleasant back, but instead, I looked for a positive.  This was as simple as noticing that she had eyes an incredible shade of green.  Of course, I didn't say anything to her because that might have sounded weird, "You have the most beautiful eyes"??  But its not necessary to say anything.  The positive energy created by noticing something positive took my attention away from the negative and calmed me. She even cracked a smile and told me to have a nice day as I was leaving. Its such a simple little thing that you can use everyday.  Try it today when someone annoys you.