Along with learning how to teach yoga during yoga teacher training, I'm also learning about the Hindu gods and goddesses who inspired the yoga poses that are practiced today. Our instructor's favorite Hindu goddess, by far, is Kali. Per our instructor, Kali's quite hard core! According to Wikipedia (the definitive Internet source where you can find anything you'd ever possibly want to know about anything, of course), Kali is associated with empowerment. Her name, however, means "time" or "death" (as in "time has come"). She is sometimes presented as dark and violent, but her main role is destroying the old to make room for the new.
It can be difficult to deal with change. Our minds crave routine and it's nice to feel comfortable in our lives. Although it can be seen by others as a good thing to go off to school or to start a new job, the person going through the change still may be apprehensive about what the future holds because they're unsure about what exactly their new life will be like. Similar yet much deeper negative feelings surround someone's death. All of the loved ones of that person mourn for them and take time to grieve for their loss. They feel like there is a hole in their life where that person once was. Dealing with that is hard.
When we think about it, though, there can actually be a litany of positivity that surrounds a big life change. The situation where we shell out the old and make room for the new can actually be a beautiful epiphany.
What got me pondering this in the first place was something that a fellow yoga school student shared with me. She said she had a "mind-blowing" moment. The instant it happened, she freaked out, but then she saw the positive in the situation.
So, what had happened? Her microwave died. Her instant, knee-jerk reaction was: WHAT???!!! I NEED my microwave!!! What am I going to DO???
I could totally relate to her! I L-O-V-E LOVE my microwave! I really couldn't imagine my life without it. Really. It's sad how much I adore my microwave.
But! Then she took a minute and thought about it. It dawned on her that she didn't really need it. She deciphered she could just use the stove and toaster oven to meet all of her food heating needs. She had a real epiphany. She felt...freer.
She enjoyed that feeling so much...she let it expand. She thought, what other things don't I need? What can I do to simplify my kitchen?
Then she thought, what can I do to simplify my LIFE? She began brainstorming ways she could shell out the old and worthless - those items which she really had thought that she had absolutely needed - and, at first, so desperately dreaded to lose, but with a little mental paradigm shift, she could better her life. She could let go of the old, simplify her life, and make room for the potentially beautiful new. She was willing to instigate positive change...simply because her microwave went on the fritz. How COOL is that?
How awesome is she? And how awesome is that? Her epiphany is truly inspiring. How can we learn from her little experience? What other things do we possess that we don't really need...though we may not realize it? And...we'd probably be better off by NOT having it any more?
Let's expound upon the technology angle. I do hear many people saying they don't know what they did before they owned the GPS in their car or their iPod. Though I do understand the necessity (I mean, come on, I was pretty much in love with my microwave), I think there's merit to not becoming too attached to these items. After all, what happens when they don't work or they break? We feel helpless, right? We get super stressed out. Well, machines aren't perfect (as much as we'd like them to be). I think it's great to explore other ways to solve problems, since there's always more than one way to get something done. Take my fellow yoga student's example!
Another area in our lives where I feel simplicity is truly awesome (and probably preferred) is the relationships we have in our lives. I will fully admit that, before I met my husband, back when I was dating, I was with someone to just BE with someone. I was lonely. How much better off would I have been if I would have just concentrated on myself, such as taking time to do the things I loved, meeting the people that would come into my life naturally, simply by way of my hobbies and interests, rather than hanging with someone who might lead me on, lie to me, and treat me differently than the most awesome person on the planet? It's extremely tough to let go of a relationship, especially one that's been going on for awhile. But, I feel, it's always best to honor yourself and to be with people who honor you as well. Then, when you find your tribe, you're all honoring each other. THAT is best.
Finally, (and this one is definitely a difficult one for me) is that it's usually always better when your THOUGHTS are simple. I'm talking along the lines of worrying or getting anxious...about anything. About the future, about the past, about everything. This is one of the truly beautiful yet very elusive things about yoga that's caught my eye - the notion of being more mindful, more in the moment. Embracing the now. Why is that better? Because the past is gone, and the future may never come. It's true. Although there's merit in planning the future, it's never a bad idea to try to savor the planning process...the journey...because that's a part of the destination as well. The culmination of the result is truly enjoyed when the whole process is embraced. Joy and happiness can only be experienced now. Dreaming is fun, but dreams change. Circumstances change. Take what comes at you, and conquer it as best you can. It's actually all you can do.
Even just thinking about doing all of these things - attempting to simplify - sucks. I understand. Because change is hard. That's why the goddess Kali is so very much feared. We hate change.
It's gonna happen, though. It has to. It's uncomfortable, but necessary. I think it's a great idea to try and deal with it with an open mind, like my fellow yoga girl did. She saw how the simplicity was a good thing and it helped her. In more ways that one.
So...try to enjoy the moment, embrace change as best you can, and be hard core, just like Kali!
Sarah
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