My Yogi Lifestyle: Faith in Things Unseen

Have faith. Whether or not you consider yourself religious or spiritual, faith is something that exists within each and everyone one of us, though we might not always be able to access it. Faith, I read recently, is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) Why do we so often think that we need to see to believe? Can we ever learn to rest in the knowledge that sight only goes so far?  That there is something bigger, grander, and more powerful than our human mind and physical senses? Can we continue to set intentions and work towards goals while also being open to letting go of our plan, realizing that it might not be the best one? 

Consider a time when something happened that didn't go the way you anticipated. Maybe you didn't get the job you thought you wanted, or a relationship ended badly, or you had to move across the country for a new job. We tend to plan out our lives, deciding what we see for ourselves and determining in our heads how our lives will look. But in the end, its not really for us to decide. This is where the following explanation of faith, written by Matt Emerson in the Wall Street Journal recently, resonates strongly - faith is "nurtured by patient trust, open to revision." We want things to happen in a certain way and we want them to happen in the time we've determined for them. But again, its not really for us to decide. Not only must we be patient, trusting that all is unfolding with purpose, we must also be open to revision, open to change, open to a different perspective. Things may not always look the we'd like them to but that doesn't mean they are wrong. Whether we can see it or not, each moment of our existence happens just as it should. We must learn to trust and have faith in this understanding and let go of our egoic mind that thinks it knows best. 

We might not always be able to see the good or the light at the end of the tunnel, but we must have faith that its there. Good things come to us in ways unexpected and life evolves and unfolds in ways that we often don't understand. But when all things seem to be falling apart, remember, all things will come together. They will come together exactly as they should, exactly as you need them to, whether you ever fully understand why or how. Eckhart Tolle holds one of my favorite quotes, which I've used many times but use over and over because it is so relevant to all of us at so many points in our lives: “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.”

The Awakened Heart

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be at peace.

This is the mantra that ends most of my yoga practices.  When we are truly at peace, we have truly come to know ourselves. When we know ourselves, our true selves, without the labels or the expectations or the past, but simply as our shared inner Being, then we have found Enlightenment.

Enlightenment comes from truly knowing oneself. It is the understanding that you are not your thoughts, your perceptions, your emotions, or your past. Each of these things are like clouds. They pass through but they are not permanent. What is permanent and eternal is your inner self. Yoga teaches us to let go of our exterior self, to let it fade away and to connect with our inner selves through our breath and our movements. The asanas, or poses, are about so much more than making us flexible and strong.  They are about preparing the mind and body for meditation. And it is in meditation where we find the stillness needed to draw inward, to awaken our heart and to recognize our Divine self as well as the Divine in others. 

This is where we come to know that we are the same. We are not separate. You are not your job, your hobbies, your past, or your thoughts.  You are an energetic life force. You can feel this energy within you at any time. In savasana, I've told my classes to find the "aliveness" in their hands.  Not with their thoughts but by simply becoming aware of their hands. When you focus completely on the feeling of your hands, you can feel a sensation. It may feel tingly, pulsing, or perhaps warm.  Whatever you feel, it is a form of energy. Eckhart Tolle refers to this feeling as "inner body awareness."  When you cease to think and you draw your attention to your inner energy you begin to awaken your heart. 

The awakened heart is a heart connected to the Divine. The awakened heart recognizes that the only thing that really matters is what can be found within, not in the material, exterior world in which we live. In order for us to survive in this world, however, we must attain certain things such as food clothing and shelter. To do this, we probably need a job or career. Yet, the awakened heart understands that these things do not define who we are.  Who we are is the energetic life force that connects each one of us. Our thoughts, words, and actions have the power to bring us together or tear us apart.

Returning to the mantra I offer at the end of my classes, I had the following heart awakening experience recently:  I heard a story on the Today Show about a woman whose health, after the age of 50, deteriorated rapidly. She eventually found out that she had emphysema. It seemed her life had taken a downward spiral. Her daughter, a yoga instructor and massage therapist, convinced her to try yoga. After her first class, she took money from her life's savings and signed up for yoga teacher training and is now a yoga instructor. At the end of her interview, she said "My mantra is 'I AM happy, I AM healthy, I AM at peace.'" Those words emphasized, to me, our connectedness. It made me realize that the words spoken within the yoga studio go beyond those walls and truly reach those in need. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu - May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may our own thoughts, words and actions bring happiness to all beings.

"I offer you peace. I offer you love. I offer you friendship. I see your beauty. I hear your need. I feel your feelings. My wisdom flows from the Highest Source. I salute that Source in you. Let us work together for unity and love.”
~ Gandhi