PEAKS & TROUGHS

I have been reflecting this week on the amount of changes that my business has gone through over the years. From changing venues, teachers and structure, it has had many glow ups! Some times have been really challenging, whilst other times have really expansive.

And that is life isn’t it! Life is full of opposites. Times where you feel happy and seen. Times when you feel low and directionless. Times of great success, and times of perceived failure. We think this means we have a messy life, but life is only smooth sailing once you reach a state of happiness in Hollywood movies. The fact of the matter is, that no state is permanent, and that with any high comes a low.

When we are challenged, we seek steadiness. We look for the answers that will ground us, the people that will level us out. The habits that feel familiar. But these are all external sources. The steadiness that we seek is actually found inside of us.

In the yoga sutras, Patanjali tells us this. He says that when we have established our ‘practise’, we will not longer be affected by “the opposites”.

ततो द्वन्द्वानभिघातः
Tato dvandva-anabhighātaḥ

Translation:
“Then one is no longer disturbed by the pairs of opposites.”

What he is saying here, is that life does not stop being crazy when you have done the work. The work allows you stay steady no matter the highs and lows of life.

So when times gets messy, don’t look for an external resource for steadiness, you already have it inside yourself. The challenge is to trust that you can hold yourself there as the shit storm happens!

Roll out your mat and sped some time with yourself- you are more resourced than you give yourself credit for.