Since the start of the New Year, I've heard many people (myself included) saying they're happy to get back to their regular lives, devoid of the endless parties, shopping melees, family vinyasas, and baking marathons that the holidays inevitably bring. I was grateful to return to Washington, get back to my dance classes, reboot my own practice without feeling rushed, and start teaching again.
Yet, this shift has also made me think about what that "regular life" really is. One idea, of course, is that there is no standard existence. The notion that any pattern is set or constant is total illusion, and we all know that. It seems as if one of the only true constants in the universe is change; states of peace, whether in my mind or on the world stage, will fluctuate and go through waves of manifestation and dissolution. So, perhaps clinging to a schedule or a way of life is just another example of tightly grasping the noose of illusion.
However, I think there's a more subtle reading to this. When we're attached to that illusion, then, yes, we enter dangerous territory, because the holidays do come around, bringing with them all their delights and frustrations. But, committing to a practice and staying focused on that joyful obligation is a powerful act with a long history of success. I meditate daily, and believe me, there are days when I don't want to sit down on the god damned pillow and breathe. Yet, I still do. Discipline, when applied with compassion and benevolence, allows us to sink deeper into whatever our focus might be - the gym, painting, playing an instrument, or asana. By introducing these commitments into our daily lives, we carve out time to return home to a place of expansion, whether that's for a skill set, a path to enlightenment or both.
It's only by coming back to the mat that we begin to really know the ins-and-outs of our bodies, hearts, mind, and breath, allowing us to change patterns and align ourselves with the abundant powers of love and transcendence. So challenge yourself in the first months of 2010 to commit to your practices, whatever they may be. Notice if you're able to do this in ways that aren't rigid. If the practice becomes more about anxiety or even pride, don't stop practicing - instead change the ways in which you approach it. Notice the negative thoughts and emotions you have around it, and then use the act itself to burn away any congested or imbalanced energy. (I often dedicate my yoga practice to burning away things that currently stand in my way of manifesting love and being a vessel of Shakti.)
Set an endpoint for these practices. The spring equinox could be a powerful marker or choose another day that holds meaning for you. Re-examine your commitments at that time and then choose whether or not to renew those same practices or shift them in some way. I find this tricks our mind into thinking, "It won't be forever. I can totally do this for a couple months." Setting aside a finite period of time also gives us the chance to change the practices to meet our growing skills and changing lives.
Discipline doesn't have to be a nun with a ruler. It can be a path to bliss.
Posted on
Fri, January 8, 2010
by Greg Marzullo