Posts Tagged ‘Daily Practice’
Hopeful
Thursday, March 25th, 2021
I have been thinking about hope the past few weeks. Perhaps it is the new season of Spring and watching the flowers burst through the earth. Perhaps it is because I have been watching the birds return to the cherry trees out side my window. Perhaps it is the light that lasts longer each night. Perhaps it is knowing that family and friends are getting vaccinated and I too will soon get the vaccine. Perhaps it is because I feel like making plans of things to do or places to go for the first time in 12 months.
Or perhaps I have been meditating on hope because it is the season of renewal, miracles, and the Easter season of resurrection and new life. Perhaps it is just my faith reminding me that hope returns (or perhaps never left) that I am given constant reminders of hope in nature. All I know is that any time I have been asked how I am dong the past few weeks, the only word that comes out of my mouth is “hopeful.” I am hopeful of new beginnings and of miracles. I am hopeful that I can live more fully out (especially after a year of having to live fully in). I am hopeful that I can soon see people and hug my family. I am hopeful that so much goodness is waiting for me — us — you.
Even with so much still unknown and a year that will bring a lot of change, I still feel hopeful. And of course that doesn’t mean I don’t get scared or cranky or worried. I am hopeful that my voice will return and my writings will be expressed. I am hopeful that I can be quiet and still. I am hopeful that my inner compass will show me the way and love will lead me home.
And I am choosing to be hopeful. It’s a daily practice — and some days I am better at it than others.
My faith reminds me this time of year that from the darkness comes the light. Without the dark earth, flowers would not bloom. And so I too am rising from the dark earth with new life, new blooms, and new eyes. What are you unearthing? What is blooming inside of you? What has been waiting to bloom inside of you?
Pushing Past the Veil of Resistance
Friday, February 5th, 2010
“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.” -Steven Pressfield
How does resistance show up in your life? Resistance can push you far from your dream through procrastination, sabotage, excuses, and convince you that the worst outcome will always happen. We do our best to keep resistance at bay and then we feel it – fear. But listening to fear can actually propel us to do exactly what resistance is pulling us away from. If we are scared, we might be on the right track towards ‘success’. Fear might actually be the catalyst that brings us to our growing edge.
In his book, The War of Art, Steven Pressfield writes, “The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more we can be sure that we have to do it.” If it didn’t mean anything or push our limits, then there would be no need to be fearful and expose ourselves to expansive experiences. Resistance keeps us in place.
There comes a time, a point in your life, a remembering of your original creative genius self that is ready to push past the veil of resistance. When you are ready, here are a few ideas to support you in tackling resistance. First, listen to that deep voice inside that has had that dream since you first learned to walk and ask: do you still love that dream? Next, after all the excuses have been made why you can’t draw, write, dance, create, or start a business, take some actions anyway. There will always be reasons and excuses and the best way to move forward is simply by taking daily actions. Lastly, ask for help. Get all the support you need to move your idea forward. Seek out experts, teachers, alliances, change agents, and anyone who understands that we are more than our resistant voice.
Here is a conversation with Resistance:
Self: Given my work schedule and NYU class, can I handle continue taking Yoga classes?
Resistance: You will never be able to do all that. Just forget it.
Self: Really? Give up Yoga?
Resistance: Why bother? You are doing enough already.
Self: Yoga gives me the space to go within and spend time in body, spirit & mind practices.
Resistance: Give it up–it’s too much and too hard to do work, school, & Yoga.
This could go on and on. To stop bantering with resistance, feel free to get quiet, get centered, and feel all of the emotions. Visualize where you want to be and see yourself in that full experience.
After sitting quietly, my meditation revealed the following response to Resistance:
“Is school not awakening your body as well as your mind? Ask your heart. Is yoga not awakening your mind as well as your body as you focus on balancing during a pose? Ask the stillness within you. You are already all of it. You can have all of it – in your divinity you already do.”
Push the veil to see what is on the other side of Resistance. This is a daily practice. Together, let us keep the veils moving.
Mary Anne