A Blissful Life 8/27/24: Enjoy The Journey
As I sit down to write this week’s column, I am thinking about the month of September at Ocean Bliss Yoga, the start of a new school year for my son, moving into my new home, which will be happening over the next few days, along with my neverending daily list of to-do’s. Change is certainly in the air! When there is a lot going on, I stay grounded by making sure that I am getting good sleep at night, eating nutritious food at proper meal times, staying hydrated throughout the day, continuing to exercise (even if it’s an abbreviated workout), and making myself lists to stay organized.
It helps that September always seems to come with an energetic push toward productivity, organization, and practicality. Our September theme at Ocean Bliss Yoga will be ‘Aparigraha’, or ‘Non-Attachment’. Aparigraha is the last Yama (moral guideline) of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga, and one of the things it teaches us is to focus not on the outcome that we are working toward, but rather on the action steps that we are taking now, in real time, as we work toward those outcomes.
I have definitely been reminding myself of this Yama over the past few days as I work toward my own ‘deadlines’. By taking measures to stay healthy, grounded, and organized, I allow myself greater opportunity to be present in my actions, which I know will ultimately lead to more fruitful outcomes.
As I reflect on times in my past where I was heavily focused on the outcome of a goal while working toward it, I realize that, sure, I may have gotten to the end result, but the journey there felt stressful, unenjoyable, worrisome, and chaotic, and the final result perhaps fell short of my expectations and left me feeling drained. In practicing Aparigraha, I am able to enjoy the journey, learn along the way, and arrive at the most aligned outcome, which may look different from how my mind imagined it. That’s another thing– if our mind is so fixed on the outcome, we can actually end up limiting ourselves and our abilities.
After all, the point of life is the journey– isn’t it? When I find myself jumping ahead, even after taking all possible measures to set myself up for success, I stop and remind myself: “I am here to be right here.” These seven words help me to let go of whatever anxiety, worry, fear, or stress about the future I was previously experiencing and drop into a calm and present state. Just like that, I am able to become fully invested in what’s in front of me.
Looking back, I realize that my attachment to the outcomes of my goals in the past was a result of insecurity. I lacked some self-esteem. Over time, with awareness, lots of deep breathing, and conscious practice, I have been able to show my mind that I am capable of doing what I need to do in the timeline I need to do it in. Not only that, I have proven to my mind time and time again that some planning ahead is definitely helpful, but overplanning is not only stress producing, it also strips away creativity from the moment when it does arrive.
A lot of people are initially drawn to yoga for the physical, but they stay for all of the ways in which it enriches their lives. I have learned and grown so much from my yoga practice, and I am grateful to have it as a guiding light throughout the different chapters of my life.
I invite you to join us for classes and workshops at Ocean Bliss Yoga. Visit oceanblissyoga.net to check out our new Fall schedule and sign up! All are welcome. Call or text me with any questions at 917-318-1168.