I have always classified myself as a runner.
When things start to feel out of alignment, the first thing I do is try to escape the situation.
Sometimes, I like to blame this on my predominantly Vata constitution, which tends to show up as me being airy and sporadic. Sometimes, I blame it on growing up with an alcoholic parent and learning that retreating from the situation was the best way to keep my sanity.
I can’t say that this has always been a good or bad thing, it’s just something I have become accustomed to doing.
In the yoga sutras, Patanjali says:
Assailed by what feels good,
we begin to like things.
Assailed by what feels bad,
we begin to dislike things. II.7,8
When I think about this statement, it seems to bet the most logical explanation as to why I tend to make changes in my life to so rapidly. I have never been good at sitting with what doesn’t feel good for me. When something feels bad, I find the escape route and make a b-line towards what feels good.For the most part, this has not given me too many problems. In fact, it has helped me in my process of manifesting many of my dreams into reality. The issue that comes up is when my inner judge starts to question the choices I want to make or my ego starts to give me reasons to fear my choice.
Sometimes, I find myself asking if the way I want to respond to a situation is truly the best way to handle it.
Is it truly the best decision to always take the easy way out, or is it a test for me to stick with it until things get better? If I stay in a situation that no longer serves me, will it get better or will my dislike for it just grow?
What I’ve come to learn over the years is that having faith in the ability to manifest dreams into reality is not always an easy task. Sometimes faith can be scary and taking that leap can feel like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Usually, not the best idea!
The thing is, a lot of times, it is a great idea, we just can’t see the benefit of it until we do it.
I’ve also come to learn that the universe communicates through the form of inspiration. It will drop hints and whispers again and again and most times, because we are conditioned to fear failure, we ignore these sweet little morsels of advice. We keep on ignoring and ignoring until one day we are hit dead on, and the sweet little nudges become loud and violent shoves.
We are only given this life one time as far as we know for certain. When we truly want the best, it is important that the best truly wants us. Taking a leap, making a tough decision, or fully letting something go to make space for the beautiful unknown is what life is all about. When we can free fall into the flow of things, then we open up to accepting magic.
Trust is bravery. Be brave.
One of the first things I like to do when I teach a class is, ask my students to set an intention. I do this right before we start to move. My reasoning behind this is that the universe meets us where we are, so when we set an intention and take a step towards it, the universe will start to help us get closer and closer to that intention. When we can practice this on the mat, we can more easily take it off the mat and into our daily lives.
So, let’s begin.
Set an intention, it can be about the future you are looking to create or anything that deeply resonates with you. Take a deep breath in, and let it all go.
Now, begin to flow, knowing that your intentions will be met.
Thank you for taking this leap with me. Namaste.
Love and Moonlight!
Life by the Moon Yoga 