From what I understand, mantras are usually a word or short phrase that’s used to remind us of who or what we’re individually working toward on our quest for self-transformation. But what happens when external events have plummeted upon us and instead the belief system in question is not what we hold in our capacity but it’s that of the capability of the higher power beyond us?
Maybe something we truly value has been taken from us. Maybe we’ve discovered a betrayal by someone we trusted. Maybe it’s not just one thing but a series of several mishaps and somehow, we’re now pushed over the edge into a free-falling frenzy. We don’t know where the ground is or how long the volatility will last.
In reaction panic, anxiety, and shock override the grace, equanimity, and love we’ve inched toward gaining in our practice as we flail in uncertainty.
I’ve always thought of myself as a resourceful person but recently when I went through a period of doubt about something I really care about I was in complete upheaval, spiraling out of control. My friends were busy and none of my yoga teachers had any classes and the only stability I had existed in the liquor store down the block.
As yogis it’s our end goal to stay centered. Yet for those of us who are still in the apprentice-stage of developing our practice off the mat and our yoga is still done in tandem with a teacher or a fellow yogi; what do we do when our foundation of support is M.I.A.? How can we stay grounded and not get swept up in the energy swirling around us?
When you’re descending into the unknown, are you able to access your convictions to steady yourself? I can’t. Apparently, this is an advanced posture and I need a prop.
I needed to be able to pull my own rip cord and have a “Credo Pilot Chute” open to slow down the fall as I found my way back to center over the next few days. I needed something to remind me of what I believe the higher power of divinity holds in its capacity to dole out.
Thus, I’ve decided to compile a list to be kept somewhere accessible. I scrounged up a few of my favorite quotes and here are some of the things I jotted down. Maybe this will help you start your own list but here’s a crucial hint, do it when you’re in a good mood. 😉
I Believe:
Only time reveals everyone’s true essence.
Everything happens for a reason.
Whatever I learn here and now is going to help me in the future.
If a relationship is good and strong, it’ll last. If it’s fragile, volatile, and dissolves easily it wasn’t meant to be. And only time will tell which it is.
The next minute, hour, or day can bring the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. It’s out there…somewhere.
Life will surprise us in the most amazing ways when we let go and let it do what it needs to do…
Each of us has a unique journey to take that’s designed for us individually. What happens to others does not mean it’s your fate as well.
You get what you give.
Sometimes we have to wait because the universe is preparing things offscreen/backstage for the best of the future to be possible.
When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. ~ Paulo Coelho
“People too weak to follow their own dreams will always find a way to discourage yours.” ~ Oprah
“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ~ Dale Carnegie
“The best students get the hardest tests.” ~ Iyanla Vanzant
“When someone truly can be trusted to see who you are and want what’s best for you, no matter your official relationship, they are family.” ~ Oprah
We need to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen. ~ Paulo Coelho
“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from.” ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
I also found this poem recently posted to Namaste Om’s Facebook Page:
If a sadness rises in front of you,
larger than any you have ever seen;
if an anxiety like light and
cloud-shadows moves over your hands
and over everything you do.
You must realize that
something is happening to you,
that life has not forgotten you,
that it holds you in its hand
and will not let you fall.
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
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