When the Shit Hits the Fan...

It ‘s been feeling like a full moon for weeks! Australia’s on fire, impeachment of the President, and war talk with Iran...

Sorry to put this all in your yoga-feel-better spiritual musings blog, but this is life. This is our world.

Sometimes things don’t go well. In fact, for me personally, life situations have not been great.

My dad’s alzheimer’s is progressing. My 11 year old daughter’s adoption is being held up. My 8 year old daughter is having some scary and confusing behavioral issues at home. They found spiculated nodules on my mom’s lung. 

My mind has been going to worst-case-scenario thinking and it’s extreme. 

But, I’m aware of it and I’m aware it’s just my thoughts and I’m in control of them.

Even though things are actually happening in my life right now that I could easily interpret as a DISASTER, it’s not true. Today my dad is okay. My daughters, Amanda and Lily, are also okay or will be soon. My mom is fine right now and there is no official diagnosis. 

And even if all of these things actually were a disaster, life happens.  Eckharte Tolle says, “Life is not designed to make you happy. It’s designed to wake you up.” So things are not going to go well all the time. People we love will get sick. And eventually, we will all lose our parents to this mysterious transition we call death. 

What keeps me sane and grounded through all this is being in the present moment. There is peace in our practice of yoga and meditation. In fact, I can report, my yoga and meditation practice are the reason I feel able to handle all these circumstances unfolding around me. 

My practice brings me peace amidst the chaos. Acceptance of whatever comes. Even if I don’t like it.

It is my prayer that yours does too. Not every day is good. It never will be. 

But, keep practicing. Keep cultivating your capacity to be the calm in the middle of the storm. Keep your mind on your breath and on the present moment. Keep coming back to it, again and again and again as often as you need.

It’s simple. Not easy. But simple. 

Do it on your mat, in the shower, walking down the street, while you’re living your life, and watch what happens to your consciousness over the course of your life!

It will expand. 

The light is powerful and can transmute all that is “dark.”

So shine as brightly as you can.