There are times when we feel super connected to the Divine/Light/Universal Energy/Truth/Supreme Soul/Source (whatever you personally call it), and there are times when it feels really far away. It’s proximity and presence have not changed, merely our perception of them. But no matter how near or far it feels, we can find peace in knowing it’s right here. It is always right here in this very breath, and the next, and the next… It is constant. The only variable is our awareness of and openness to it.
When we do feel connected, the tendency is often to grasp to sustain that feeling. There is a fear of losing it, of drifting away again. But the ebb and flow is natural. When we accept the inevitability of this movement our work becomes not about hanging on, but rather about releasing the fear feeling. Life becomes less about holding steadfast, maintaining, resisting the natural fluidity, and more about leaning into the present moment and continuing to breathe. This requires immense courage (fortunately we’ve all got plenty), and a gentle release and opening.
It’s tempting to give greater value to and want to cling tightly to those times when we’re feeling super connected, flowing and grooving through life than the times when we’re struggling and feel way off course. So we remind ourselves that we can’t have light without dark, we are here to experience it all, and growth and even our stories are anything but linear.
“We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.” — Pema Chödrön
And through it all, that life force, that Universal Soul, our personal Truth, purpose, Light, higher Self is with us in every single breath.
We carry this idea into our meditation and asana practice, as well. There is no good or bad meditation, successful or unsuccessful yoga practice. Sometimes it will feel magical and fulfilling and you’ll “see the light” …and other times you just won’t. Both (and everything in between) are okay. You just keep showing up.
I sometimes practice the Gyan Mudra (thumb and forefinger touching) to remind myself of my connection and nearness to (really oneness with) the Source. This mudra is said to connect us to our higher self and inspire a receptive state. It invokes consciousness, wisdom, and knowledge. The thumb represents Universal Truth, and the forefinger represents our personal, individual truth. When we bring them together, we remind ourselves that these two truths are one. In other words, when you are living, breathing, walking your Truth, the Universe has got your back.
Krystal Barschig 