Finding Balance & Boundaries
Dear MyYogaPal Community,
Everyone has been so fantastic in supporting each other either in words, actions and thoughts. We all have tapas to work through. I was thinking of karma, and yoga is certainly open this concept of karma yoga
Of the classical paths to spiritual liberation in Hinduism, karma yoga is the path of unselfish action.[7][9] It teaches that a spiritual seeker should act according to dharma, without being attached to the fruits or personal consequences. Karma Yoga, states the Bhagavad Gita, purifies the mind. It leads one to consider dharma of work, and the work according to one's dharma, doing god's work and in that sense becoming and being "like unto god Krishna" in every moment of one's life. - Source Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_yoga
Well, doing our tapas is our karma yoga. We strive (the effort, the burn, the tapas) to achieve this balance and set boundaries.
Thank you so much Erin for enhancing on this in our newest blog from the wise yogi in our community Erin! By the way, try this ‘Mello Yoga’ that Erin offers on YouTube helps towards achieving the balance by having less stress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB220s54WmM
Finding Balance & Boundaries
by Erin Donovan
Analyn's blog really resonated with me on so many levels.
Being a "recovering perfectionist," I am a creature of habit. I need structure, and I need planning. Otherwise, I feel as though I am off the rails. Oftentimes people talk about falling off a program and not finishing something meaningful to them, but there's another side, the opposite extreme. What if you finish things you don't care for because you feel compelled to complete things? Maybe this resonated with you?
The last two years of uncertainty, fear, sadness, grief, and chaos has been really challenging for most people. Yet, I know very few people that would honestly say they've okay. Most people say "stressed," "burnt out," and "overwhelmed," but "fantastic," "happy," and "balanced" doesn't seem to be as common as it was a few years ago.
What I'm saying is that you are not alone. Whether you are falling off a program or pushing yourself to "get it done," the best thing you can do for yourself is to stop. Stop and take a deep breath, then look in the mirror and tell yourself you're doing a good job. If you got out of bed today, brushed your teeth, took a shower, were kind to yourself and others, and tried to live a life you can be proud of, you did well.
So, how do we find balance? How do we strive to find something suitable for us that we're passionate about and complete the 21 days or the 90 days so we can learn, grow, and fill our cups and souls? I have an answer. Pick something. Anything that makes you feel joy. Then create a plan. Write it on your calendar every day and schedule "you" time, and make it a priority just like you would a doctor's appointment that you couldn't cancel. Failure to plan is why most people don't complete something. Let's be honest; the easiest person to push off in our lives is ourselves. So, commit to not blowing yourself off by planning.
Then, please choose a gift for yourself once you complete whatever it is. It doesn't have to cost anything. Choose something you love that you don't do often enough as your "reward" for your dedication. Then, if you're on the flip side, reward yourself for stopping that program you didn't care for and choose something else you do.
Whether you start or finish the same program 100 times, it doesn't matter; you're still doing it. You're still learning. Give yourself the same grace and love you would like someone else. You'll be surprised that when you start treating yourself how you do others, your whole mindset begins to change, and you begin to find balance and boundaries. Once you have those strongly formed, I believe the possibilities are endless.
Yoga for Balance. Lesley Fightmaster in Pincha Mayurasana
The link to Lesley’s class of a vinyasa flow for balance is here https://youtu.be/DAk7_bHhxGM