PUT SOMETHING DOWN: REMOVING OBSTACLES TO LOVE
APRIL 21, 2009: The heart is a bit foolish you know? Overall, life is really lovely. Each day brings its own charm and delights (even as the shadows of fear and self-doubt add flavor). Yet we often catch ourselves up trying to “carry too much” in our arms. And then funny thing we ask ourselves why can’t I invite anything else in? Why is this stuff all in the way? Well the easy answer is that we have to put something down in order to pick something else up. So today’s class is from a Western view “STRESS MANAGEMENT 101”. From a yogic view we are focusing on Chapter 2, verse 10 and 11.
We begin with a moving meditation: Imagining that as we stand tall, shoulders back, palms together that as we inhale and separate our hands we are pulling back the curtains of Fear, Self Doubt, Worry. This curtain is paperlight, see through and by observing it as such we can essentially dissolve it away. This reminds us that the Obstacles we have to face are really of our own mental creation. They are not insurmountable. They are just like a veiled curtain waiting to be pulled open so we can see to the other side. We know this as we held our arms out to our sides thumbs inside peaceful fists for 2 minutes imagining a 4 oz cup of water in each hand. It is not the absolute weight of the water that matters. It is about how long will we force ourselves to hold on and carry around the mental obstructions? If we hold our arms out 2 minutes that won’t hurt us, but an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, years? Then even though the water is light in weight the duration of carrying the burden of the water will do us harm. So it is with our thoughts. Replaying disastrous thoughts over and over for 2 minutes won’t kill us, but doing this day after day will create the stress that destroys our lives.
So really take 5 minutes to ask yourself what is it that needs to be released from my life? What mental obstacles can you put down right now? What can you clear out that is detrimental to living happier, lighter? Are there old habits you can release that don’t reflect your current needs and desires?
Then once relaxed and refreshed from the burden of carrying so much, ask yourself what is ready to be born in my life? What do you want to pick up?
And remember that only you can welcome the positive changes that transform your life. But don’t make it such a big deal. Remember as Sharon Salzberg writes in Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience, “The next step is not the last step.” In order to take the step, we have to put something down, in order to pick up something else. So let down the obstacles, and pick up LOVE. Let love heal. Love your day, love your life! Silvia