Dharma diary

Take a moment to step away from your day. Understand there is a creative part of you that lives in moments- having a great time/creating, or when we get caught up with something we enjoy doing sometimes. Is that the universe, or God, our instincts? We should be able to say all of them! Sometimes we get caught up on figuring it out, we miss the point of it growing. Because it doesn't matter what that is- as long as we connect with that place. You can work and have it been effortless, and I think that there's a level of effortlessness that shows up when you enjoy the process of working on yourself, and that is the goal today, and every day. When you do that, the results will show up when they're meant to. You're invited to let go of the results; have a little intention but let go and watch how quickly the results show up. 

A study on happiness in the 80's had two populations- HIV+ patients and lottery winners. Four years later, the people who had been diagnosed with HIV four years earlier reported higher levels of happiness than the lottery winners. Now, what this points to, or how I see it is that the mind determines our experience of life. This is supported by 1,000+ stories of people transcending difficult circumstances. We have this tremendous ability to change our experience of the world. What we think reality is, is basically how we perceive it, or our interpretation of it. There are two ways of understanding this. First off, our minds are like filters, which is our perception. The second thing is a matter of function. Meditation helps us direct our attention. We have that control/ choice if we strengthen this function. We must use our minds like a flashlight and draw the light in the direction of what serves you. We have a choice as to where we direct this flashlight, which has enormous consequences because where we direct our attention will determine our experience. This flashlight can be a tool or an anchor, and it's a choice we have to make daily to use it in our favor. 

"I enter fully into each experience and I come out fully from each of them too. I put the whole of me into all I do and out of all I do." -Krishnamurti

There is a great energy that lies within us, which is the energy of  consciousness or awakening. We have all, at times, felt movement of this energy; moments when tears silently well in our eyes with the stirring of overwhelming love/happiness, moments when beauty stops usand captures us in wonder, moments when awareness comes to technicolor. These are all small tastes of when energy within us awakens us. To practice the guideline of purity, is to engage in the cleansing processes (physical and mental), preparing us for the awakening of the energy within us. Some examples include drinking more water, eating less meat, getting in some physical exercise, or choosing to spend a day purifying our tongue so that we speak nothing of harm or untruth for an entire day. Whatever the form of purifying takes, the intention is always to lighten the load we are carrying. This week, and for the weeks to come, we purify our thoughts and speech, by using friends, rituals, forgiveness, journaling, etc. to release toxic, stale and negative thoughts, replacing them with thoughts of gratitude.

Can you show courage and stay in the fire until you find the blessing? This is the definition of self-discipline/tapas, and that fire is the fire of discipline that we cook ourselves in to transform. The "heat" the fire omits is our tolerance, transformation, and spiritual effort. On a smaller scale, we can think about this analogy as our day to day choices that we make to burn non supportive habits of the body and mind, choosing to sacrifice momentary pleasures for future rewards. Some examples of this is when farmers test the wind before burning farming grounds to bring about seasonal bounty, or some spiritual practices in India include sitting in the dead of winter and letting water drip from a rigged container overhead and in the summer they surround themselves with small fires while sitting under the sum. Our practices of discipline, however, do not need to be so extreme. Like a controlled burn, we need to pay attention to what is possible, safe, and timely for our current life. When we have "tested the winds", we can light a match. Sometimes it feels like we don't have a choice in when that fire is started because we actually don't. But it is these times that shape and mold us into someone of depth. Our debris are burned away and we are felt more humbled and strengthened by the mystery of what is beyond our grasp of control or understanding. Whether we practice Tapas by showing up at our mat for a regular practice, or by constant acts of selfless service, we offer ourselves a higher version of us to settle in. Prayers of Tapas invites us to change us from haters to lovers and from disturbers of peace to makers of peace.

How do we find self-love? We have to start by really digging into ourselves and feeling what comes up. Once we begin the process of healing, we can accept what is true, and look into the mirror and see God. It's in moments of peace, connection, and love that really strengthen the will. These moments inspire us to move forward and confirm that we are moving in the right direction. In a culture of "vibes", it's easy for that word to become another trend that fades. Vibes are and will always be relevant. Your perception of yourself affects your vibe. So, love yourself, be confident in your looks, express your talents, and let your good vibes flow. A lot easier in theory, I know. You will never talk to anyone more than you talk to yourself in your head, so make sure those words ar4e kind and nourishing. Talk to yourself the way you would talk to your best friend- be truthful and but also be loving.

The International Day of Yoga, the first day of summer, and the summer solstice, also known as the longest day of the year, all happen to fall on the same day. This day is really big. All of these events have a certain importance/ significance to us all. Such a big week should only be used for growth and manifesting positive affirmations, while letting go of anything that doesn't serve our higher self. That is a lot for one week, but I'll let you in on a little secret... These decisions can all be made at any given time in your life. This is just a little reminder, or rather a slight push, in the direction of Nirvana. A place our conscious longs to be a resident of. This is not me telling you that I've reached the transcendent state of non-suffering, but what I can tell you is that it is all about the journey and not the destination. So, here's a little exercise for you: When making a decision, ask yourself, "what will take me higher?", and the answer will become clear.

Ahisma is the very core and foundation of ALL yoga philosophy practices. This Yama or social discipline invites us to do no harm and calls forth from us our most brilliant and best self. This will depend on our practice of courage/ facing our fears, balance/ listening within, love of self, and compassion for others. "How we treat ourselves is how we see others." You can't buy a can of red paint and expect the color to be blue when we apply it, yet we can be so harsh and demanding with ourselves, and then we expect to be loving with others. It doesn't work that way, so we must practice falling in love with ourselves. Love lies at the core of nonviolence, and it begins with our love of self. Falling in love leaves no room for violence, expectations, or judgement. Everyone around the lover feels the love. That being said, I invite you to reclaim areas of peace in yourself in order to reflect it to others. The more peace there is within us, the more peace there will be in the world.

I invite you to practice for the love of practicing. To realize how freeing it is to NOT have a goal you have to achieve, but to simply move your body in a way that feels good. When we listen to ourselves without forcing or pushing too hard, the body can unfold naturally and those more challenging asanas/ poses become more accessible in no time. "Ultimately, spiritual awareness unfolds when you're flexible, when you're spontaneous, when you're detached, when you're easy on yourself and easy on others."- Deepak Chopra. This makes us as ourselves, why do we practice? Today we explore that question without attaching ourselves to the answer.

When we decide to smile at life, life becomes glorious. I know the struggle is real and YES, your emotions are valid, but you have a choice. You can either stay angry, let it fester and consume you, or you can choose to be happy. Being happy starts with deciding to actively smile. It is scientifically proven that forcing a smile on your face can change your mood. Show the world your teeth! You can learn a lot when you shut up and listen with a smile on. 

"The core of your true self is never lost. Let go of all the pretending and becoming you've done just to belong. Curl up in your rawness and come home. You don't have to find yourself; you just have to let yourself in." - D. Antoinette Foy

Subtle reminder to never stop being you! I spent years not being sure about my awesomeness. Variety is what keeps life exciting. Not everyone has to like the same things, and that's what's so badass about life. We all bring our own flavor/ funk to the mix. First thing on the agenda is to stop comparing yourselves to others and giving yourself the tortuous "supposed to be" or "supposed to do" rhetoric. We're not "supposed to" look or be like anything or anyone. What we are supposed to do is be ourselves. Basically, we are all awesome and we all bring different, funky, AWESOME vibes to the table. If you haven't told yourself that you are proud of yourself, at least be proud of yourself for that. 

Truthfulness can be challenging since we all perceive life through a conditioned mindset. our thoughts, beliefs, and past experiences shape whatever we see and whatever we do. Also, what we experience as truth today may not be the same truth we might live tomorrow. Recently, one of the most meaningful things for me is to live MY truth. To know that I am living what I value, I am doing things I believe in, and I am doing them now rather than not waiting. A big part of "living this truth" has to do with trusting in the universe. 

AND THE UIVRSE SAID: "Everything you need is within you. You are stronger than you know. You are the daylight, and you are the night. The darkness and the light you seek are within you. You are not alone. I love you because you are love. 

This month, we are being reminded to full our cups before filling others. The lunations is helping embrace our independence and balance our needs with the needs of others. We're being invited to create boundaries and work on the strength to set them. We take the first step by doing something wholeheartedly for ourselves and by continuing to do so throughout the month.