You Already Have Everything You Need, YET Do You Realize It?
A PATH TO BALANCE...
I was talking with a friend awhile back and we hit on the topic of what our wants and needs are. We each want SO many things. We want to develop our businesses, join professional associations, do yoga, meditate, do cardiovascular exercises, lift weights, eat healthy, cook our own meals, read the numerous books we have added to our libraries, continue school, learn a new instrument, etc...
And the kicker? We want to do these daily. Yep, you heard that right. We want to do these daily and this list is just our personal goals. These do not account for the other important goals of spending time with family, friends, our animals, being an active parent to our children... And the list goes on and on.
This conversation took place right after we finished day 7 of a 40 day Kundalini Yoga Kriya called Stress Relief for the Kidneys and Adrenals. I laughed at the irony of witnessing our long list of wants and needs. We already were stressed and maxed out and completing a yogic program to combat the fatigue our adrenals were going through. It was in this moment that we both looked at one another and the light went on. WE ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.
Really, don't YOU? The fundamental requirements of a human being are safety, security and food/water. Do you have a roof over your head? Check. Do you have a safe place to call home? Check. Do you have food and water? Check. If you have these fundamental items, you are well on your way to focusing on the rest... the WANTS.
So what are the the most important wants? The answers could be vast yet I surmise that the most important want is LOVE. We all want to be loved. We all want to know that someone out there loves us, someone thinks we are the best person in the world, someone's world is incomplete without us in it. These loves come in many languages, "Words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, physical touch." Dr. Gary Chapman, The Five Love Languages.
While I'm surmising, I will continue by stating that even more importantly than these external love languages is the most fundamental love of all... Love of ourselves. Wow, does that hit home? When is the last time you asked how you can fully love yourself? How can you bring yourself joy? How can you live within your existing framework of life yet find love from within?
As I was running for the first time since having baby, I thought of the details of this concept and I realized that I was running because my body and mind literally craved it. I could not wait to hit the trails and while my muscles were finding their way back through the memories of endurance past, I was keenly aware of the most beautiful sunset cascading down along Mt Woodson. I also stopped to pet and say hello to every horse along the way, I smelled the fragrant flowers blooming after the recent rain storms and most of all, I felt love bubbling up from within.
How did I get here? How did I cultivate this love from within? There are many paths that led me to today, yet the main path was meditation. Many years of meditation have wrung out to dry the fear and ego, the seeking of external loves, and have gifted me the awareness from within. It's this awareness that allows the love to shine in. At first the light is dim and the love seems hidden yet slowly but surely through daily practice, the opening is chipped away and the sun comes beaming in, filling you with love. The most magnificent thing is, this love can never be taken away from you because it comes from deep within YOU.
As I ran the last downhill stretch and opened the gate to Akashas Vedanta Ashram (our home and retreat center), I was brought to tears by the environment we have created to share meditation, yoga and health with our family, friends and guests. Let us all realize that real beauty in life lies within us and the tools to get there are within our grasp. You already have everything you need.
~ Char ~
A PATH TO BALANCE...
I was talking with a friend awhile back and we hit on the topic of what our wants and needs are. We each want SO many things. We want to develop our businesses, join professional associations, do yoga, meditate, do cardiovascular exercises, lift weights, eat healthy, cook our own meals, read the numerous books we have added to our libraries, continue school, learn a new instrument, etc...
And the kicker? We want to do these daily. Yep, you heard that right. We want to do these daily and this list is just our personal goals. These do not account for the other important goals of spending time with family, friends, our animals, being an active parent to our children... And the list goes on and on.
This conversation took place right after we finished day 7 of a 40 day Kundalini Yoga Kriya called Stress Relief for the Kidneys and Adrenals. I laughed at the irony of witnessing our long list of wants and needs. We already were stressed and maxed out and completing a yogic program to combat the fatigue our adrenals were going through. It was in this moment that we both looked at one another and the light went on. WE ALREADY HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED.
Really, don't YOU? The fundamental requirements of a human being are safety, security and food/water. Do you have a roof over your head? Check. Do you have a safe place to call home? Check. Do you have food and water? Check. If you have these fundamental items, you are well on your way to focusing on the rest... the WANTS.
So what are the the most important wants? The answers could be vast yet I surmise that the most important want is LOVE. We all want to be loved. We all want to know that someone out there loves us, someone thinks we are the best person in the world, someone's world is incomplete without us in it. These loves come in many languages, "Words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, physical touch." Dr. Gary Chapman, The Five Love Languages.
While I'm surmising, I will continue by stating that even more importantly than these external love languages is the most fundamental love of all... Love of ourselves. Wow, does that hit home? When is the last time you asked how you can fully love yourself? How can you bring yourself joy? How can you live within your existing framework of life yet find love from within?
As I was running for the first time since having baby, I thought of the details of this concept and I realized that I was running because my body and mind literally craved it. I could not wait to hit the trails and while my muscles were finding their way back through the memories of endurance past, I was keenly aware of the most beautiful sunset cascading down along Mt Woodson. I also stopped to pet and say hello to every horse along the way, I smelled the fragrant flowers blooming after the recent rain storms and most of all, I felt love bubbling up from within.
How did I get here? How did I cultivate this love from within? There are many paths that led me to today, yet the main path was meditation. Many years of meditation have wrung out to dry the fear and ego, the seeking of external loves, and have gifted me the awareness from within. It's this awareness that allows the love to shine in. At first the light is dim and the love seems hidden yet slowly but surely through daily practice, the opening is chipped away and the sun comes beaming in, filling you with love. The most magnificent thing is, this love can never be taken away from you because it comes from deep within YOU.
As I ran the last downhill stretch and opened the gate to Akashas Vedanta Ashram (our home and retreat center), I was brought to tears by the environment we have created to share meditation, yoga and health with our family, friends and guests. Let us all realize that real beauty in life lies within us and the tools to get there are within our grasp. You already have everything you need.
~ Char ~
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