“The thing that opens you is not nearly as important as what it opens.” — Mark Nepo
When something traumatic happens, we can get so attached to and caught up in the story of who wronged us, what happened, or what kind of people we are, for example, that we miss the whole point, which is that we’ve been opened. When we are able to escape the grip of the pain and suffering, we can see that we’ve been gifted this opportunity, a portal within, an occasion to see and grow. Though still a complete novice myself, I’m finding it much more interesting and conducive to growth to shift focus from what opened me to the fact that I’m open, that something within me is now illuminated.
We begin by acknowledging the thought or story, pressing pause on the unconscious mental loop of I’m this kind of person, this is the story of what happened to me, the world is this kind of place, etc. Acknowledging and naming the story is a huge step in itself. In doing this we distinguish ourselves from our thoughts. As we detach from them we obtain space and gain perspective to realize that we are not our thoughts.
Then we get curious about them, these things which are not us, yet have crept into our consciousness and consume so much of our time and energy. Next, we dive deep into our courageous heart to sit with these thoughts.
Byron Katie teaches a lot about challenging one’s thoughts, questioning their validity/truth. We all have this catalogue of thoughts and stories which we believe. They may or may not be true. They may or may not be useful in or helpful for our life…and yet we believe them. These are worth spending some time with and examining.
You can begin now with a very simple sitting meditation — sitting in silence and stillness with yourself, noticing your thoughts as they come and go, and then allowing them to continue to float on by. If this incites fear or anxiety, or even anger or resistance in you, I hope that you will remember how brave you are and see what you are experiencing as an opportunity for opening and trust that “the thing which opens you is not nearly as important as what it opens.”
When you’re meditating and find that you have attached to a thought which has carried you away to another place and time (congratulations for noticing!), very gently shift your awareness back to your breath, and allow it to bring you back to the truth of the present moment. Feel the air on your nostrils as you breathe in and out. Sense the movement the inhale and exhale creates in your body.
So how does this tie into our physical yoga asana practice? The mind exists not only in the space between our ears, but also throughout our entire body. With our practice of moving mindfully and making shapes with our bodies that both strengthen and stretch/open, we get to know the body, the mind, the Self very intimately, and that is the path of yoga…union.
Remember that the cracks are where the light shines through. Breathe into the cracks, the places where you’ve opened. Dare to welcome being cracked wide open, and revel in that glorious light shining through.
Krystal Barschig 