"Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest. Except when you don't. Because sometimes you won't ..."
I love Dr. Suess for reminding us that sometimes despite our best efforts and intentions, things don't work out as we plan or hope. Sometimes it can feel like we’re moving a mountain.
Do you remember a time when a job, undertaking, or relationship turned out just the way you envisioned without any conflict or bumps in the road? I can't think of any off the top of my head, because there are just too many variables to control every outcome in life.
From a yogic perspective, whether we "win" or "lose" in life doesn't matter. It's what we do with our wins and losses that counts. The Bhagavad Gita suggests that we cultivate a mind that is alike in happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Meaning: maintain equanimity even when stuff hits the fan. This is the key to ultimate freedom and lasting happiness.
Will we react aggressively or respond with compassion when we fall short of our expectations - or when our kids, partners, friends, or colleagues fall short of our expectations?
Can we acknowledge the bumps in the road as opportunities for growth?
Can we stay with our heart's true purpose when we encounter road blocks over and over again?
Do we have the courage to stay the course when we meet adversity, frustration, and disappointment?
YES, according to Dr. Seuss (and I believe him) …
"On and on you will hike and I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems, whatever they are ...
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So get on your way!"
This is the real work of yoga. It's not about the poses. It's about how we do the poses, and more importantly how we do life. Yoga is about finding an inner anchor of peace that weathers any storm - on or off the mat.
You have a special purpose in this world. Yoga is about following your true purpose and moving the mountain that’s meant for only YOU to move - one rock at a time ... staying with it even when the going gets tough or you can't be bothered ... all the while maintaining a sense of deep unflappable peace.
It sounds like work because it is. You don’t buy a yoga ticket and get instant happiness. You make a choice to commit and follow it through. I’ve been working on this for a long time, and I’m still working on it. But I can tell you this with hand over heart … the more I practice, the easier life becomes. And it’s not my life that changes, it’s me.
So go on, get on your way. Don’t wait until you’re ready. Dive in, do the work, and then trust that all will be as it should.