This weekend I had another amazing learning opportunity at a yoga teacher training. I successfully moved myself into Eight Angle Pose, expanded my knowledge on Ayurveda and learned more about the 4 Paths of Yoga. These weekend bites of training invigorate my passion and commitment to yoga. I always find I learn something new. However, this weekend, as we studied the Bhagavad Gita, I found my life changed.
I have always felt I lived the life of a spiritual seeker (Jnana Yoga), trying to discover what I believed in. My beliefs have always shifted and changed, always staying with a common theme. However, my one obstacle that I had been fighting against was using the term "God." Give me Ishvara, Yahweh, Providence, Goddess, Universe, or what have you and I was fine. Try to get me to say "God" and immediately I twitched. I grew up Catholic and should have been used to the word. This weekend, studying the Gita, I found myself finally making that peace. And so, I found myself closing my chapter in Jnana Yoga. I will always be a spiritual seeker and philosopher, but now I find, I am ready to move into Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion.
Bhakti Yoga is the heart of devotion, showing your unconditional love for God through prayer, chanting, etc.without asking for anything in return. Imagine it as a lover that pines for another sending flowers. So, how should I start? If God exists in everyone, as everything, how do I practice? I thought about the condition we all seem to suffer from - self-loathing. Right?! We all take time to beat ourselves up. So, I decided to spend the next 6 months practicing Bhakti Yoga on myself. Every time I have a negative thought about myself, I will think "I am having that thought about God, which I don't want to do, so stop!" I will make sure I nurture myself and try to see the world as God sees the world, through love. I know...this is all really heavy stuff.
So, join me! Fall in love with yourself this February. If you are up for the challenge, or just curious, I will be attempting to keep a blog diary of my progress. http://www.barefootwellnessstudio.com/Blog.html If you want to join, post a comment on our blog or Facebook wall. Let's all learn to love ourselves fully, without excuses, expectations and unconditionally without regret.
WIth that, I will leave you with my favorite quote from this weekend's training:
“Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God.” ~Krishnamacharya
