Yoga of Ages
In the seven years that I have practiced yoga, there are seven pearls of wisdom that I have gleaned. It would not be truthful to say that I am always successful in polishing each pearl on my “string of wisdom”; however, for the most part, I do. Whenever I digress, I quickly re-learn the truth of what I know and get my “see-saw” back in balance. Perhaps what I am sharing will resonate with you.
Pearl #1: Don’t waste time doing what does not make you happy. If you are not true to what resonates in your heart, you are cheating yourself and the world of a precious gift only you have to offer. It takes time to realize this truth and is even harder to follow it. We all have responsibilities. We all have one life to live. You must learn how to say no thank you or have the courage to pursue a dream. Time is priceless…don’t waste it. It is not too late. As long as you are living, you have time. Use it wisely.
Pearl #2: Be honest not only with others, but with yourself. If someone does not like to hear the truth, so be it. Living your life based on saying what you think someone wants to hear is failing to be true to yourself and them. The truth does “set you free”. If the truth is destined to hurt someone, be kind…but, be honest. The foundation of a relationship should be based on this practice. How can we expect greater sources, such as the leaders of the world, to be this way if we aren’t in our own personal world? It is not your job to make others happy. Only one can make oneself happy…how they do it is their journey of life. Cherish your journey.
Pearl #3: Disconnect from people who have negative influence on you. I promote helping others with the intention of teaching them how to help themselves. But, if someone in your life seems to be draining the life out of you…they are. Remember Pearl #1…don’t waste time. You will have to determine the “line in the sand” for yourself. To enable another is not helping them; it is reinforcing what is detrimental for many. (And, yes…this includes family) Positive forces unite and become stronger together. The same truth applies to negative. May the positive force be with you! And, regarding family…go back far enough in history and we will realize we are all “family” from some blood line.
Pearl #4: Pursue dreams and goals you have regardless of your age. Write the dream down and determine the first, second and so on, steps to make it happen. If you have a dream that resonates from the heart, the Cosmos has a fascinating way of bringing the necessary sources to make it happen. Be patient in your pursuit. All happens when it is best. To force anything to happen is self-defeating. Life truly is a dream. Make is a great one. Dreams that you know are achievable aren’t true dreams, they’re goals. Dreams are making your mind extend it’s imagination to a new edge of reality.
Pearl #5: Save the judgment of others to the Higher Power. This might sound crazy; but I don’t think even God casts judgment. After all, we are extensions of the Source. I feel certain that He is more focused on His creative side than the critical side. We all make mistakes. We are all born in different families, parts of the world, and different mindsets. To think that one way is the only way is contrived. Each life serves a purpose. We teach each other and even the “worst” of us who have existed made a change manifest. Einstein said it best: “All religions are branches of the same Tree.” Religion is one of the major reasons for most wars in history. I don’t think the Higher Power has nodded in approval for either “side” when He has seen one the most basic commandments repetitiously broken: “Thou shall not kill.” Ponder that.
Pearl #6: Forgive. To hold grudges, hang onto past experiences as justifications for current actions and keeping it alive is a waste of life and time. Every experience teaches a lesson. If you do not learn what you were destined to learn, it will manifest again in another form. Forgiveness is not for the source of your issue. Forgiveness is for YOU. When you truly release the anger or whatever other emotion your mind clings to, you will literally feel like a weight has been lifted off your back. Trust me, I know. Until you forgive something or someone, you will remain a hostage to your past. Forgive and forge ahead. Remember, you only have ONE life….toss the baggage that weighs on your mind out into infinite space. Set the intention from the heart to forgive and you will find the way.
Pearl #7: Live and love with passion until the time comes to surrender to death. The body changes, circumstances change and such; however, live with gratitude of having the opportunity of this moment. Use it to give, love, learn, pray, show kindness, admire something of beauty or just be still. Life is like a roller coaster. There are ups and downs and everything in between. To think you can only be happy while at the “peak” of the ride is an illusion. As you get older, you realize that the time in between the “peaks and valleys” is priceless. Enjoy now….everything else is either over or an anticipated experience….not real. Even death is a journey into the unknown. When you live with passion and see life from the bigger picture perspective, you realize there is nothing to fear.
Perhaps these are revelations that you did not expect to read. However, they are revelations that became crystal clear to me after yoga entered my life. Life without yoga is now unfathomable. There is so much to discover! I am grateful for the physical benefits; however, the deepest strength to emerge has been from the heart. Practice yoga, practice mindfulness, practice forgiveness, practice living with passion and you will have your own revelations. Let’s unite forces to expand the awareness wider and be remembered as the Age of Yoga!
Val Goodman
Valerie Goodman — ITN’s Yoga Guide
Val Goodman is a licensed yoga instructor in Brentwood, Tennessee. She teaches with the intention of helping people learn how to help themselves. Having overcome her own physical and mental challenges, she has discovered that yoga has the power to help one learn how to heal or strengthen themselves from the inside out. In addition to taking the training to get her RYT certification in 2008, Valerie has been trained and certified in Yoga for MS and Yin Yoga. She also acquired advanced training from Ganga White’s course, Deepening Your Practice, at the reknown White Lotus Foundation this summer. She is as passionate about learning as she is teaching in order to know how to best guide her students’ practice. You can learn more about yoga on her website, http://www.yogarevelation.com.
Valerie is Inspirational Transformational Networks resident Yoga Guide and she will post a video and article each month featuring inspirational and educational content relating to yoga. You can forward questions or comments to her e-mail address, yogarevelation@hotmail.com.
“We are all interconnected and are here to generate love. By helping others, we create an infinite ripple effect. I do not claim to know it all; but, I will always share what I have learned to be true for me.
