Have we Lost our Way?

     

Have we lost our way as humans? Have we lost our ability to be open to opposing views, open to our differences; open to the faith that within us - in our hearts we are divine.  Have we let the political discourse and divisions drive how we interact with one another, how we look at our surroundings?
     The past few weeks have been extremely difficult to digest. My chest seems to have a weight on it that makes me feel as though I can't breath. My body is tense from the emotional turmoil I have observed; whether it is on the news, radio, or in conversations. I feel like I am walking on pins and needles wondering if I will see the light of day. How then, do I process what is transpiring?
     There seems to be so much negativity and sarcasm. Is there a specific cause or is it a culmination of events? I don't know, but I do know that our social environment needs a re-alignment (as we would say in yoga).  These thoughts and questions have been with me for a while and it was in my recent yoga practice that our teacher brought to light the possible reason why we were lost.
     The theme of our practice was "Shraddha." The word comes from Sanskrit: shrad which means "truth" or "faithfulness,"  and dha, which means "to put or place; to direct one's mind toward." (1) Faith.... Faith is what we hold in your heart. Faith is our foundation; the foundation of who we are. If we lose faith, for whatever reason, we may feel disillusioned.
     Our faith can be a result of our religious upbringing. In the Bible we find the meaning of faith as, "the substantial of things hoped for. It is the assurance, the confidence, the confirmation, the reality, the essence, the supporting ground, of things hoped for, the foundation that supports the things hoped for. Faith is also the conviction of things not seen. It convinces us of what we do not see. Thus, it is the evidence, the proof, of things not seen."(2)
     Our  faith can also come for our spiritual being. I was raised Catholic, but over the years my path has become more spiritual. According to Psychology Today, "Spirituality can mean different things to different people. For some, it's primarily about participation in organized religion. For others, it's a non-religious experience that involves getting in touch with their spiritual selves through private prayer, yoga, meditation, quiet reflection, in time in nature." (3) 
     We all connect to ourselves and the workings of our environment in different ways. For a dear family member, a walk in the woods brings him solace. It is with nature, when he walks the paths, that he does what he needs to do to cleanse and renew; to find what makes sense. I too, love to walk in the woods. Quietly, I listen to the birds and the wind in the trees. I love to find a log or a rock and just sit. I wonder what the forests, rivers, and animals think about us and the emotional turmoil we have put ourselves in. 
     Whether you have a religious practice or a spiritual one, whether you have either faith is within each and everyone of us. It is as my teacher stated in her dharma talk, "faith is what you hold most dear in your heart. It is the divine within us. " The danger is whether we hold that faith close to us or become swayed by its opposite; the demonic within us. Where do you find yourself?  Are there events that bring out a side of you that makes you feel unbalanced? Become the observer and notice the situation, the players, the rhetoric. Listen to all sides before making an observation. 

MINDFUL MOVEMENT SEQUENCE

PROPS: Mat, Blanket, Bolster, Socks, whatever you might need to feel comfortable

MINDFUL: MOVEMENT ON THE EXHALE

After each movement/close eyes & observe

Ground-Center-Be Present/Social Face: Settled & Present

What brought you here today?/What’s real?

OPENING/BELLY

Crocodile/Folded Blanket above chest

Cobra

Locust 

CP

SEATED

Breath Work: 4-6/5-7/6-8

Staff Pose/Leg Lift

Feet work

BACK

Pelvic Tilt

 Toe Taps

Hip Circles

Hold Knee/Int-Ext. Rotation

SEATED/NO BLANKET

Wrist/Hand Series

Hands on Shoulders Series

Neck Series

Side Body Lean

Spinal Twist 

TABLETOP

Thread

Low Lunge/Knee Down/Twist

Leg Back/Crunch

BACK

Knee in/Leg Out

Bridge Series

Windshield Wipers

Happy Baby

SAVASANA

Supported Legs Up/Bolster-Blocks-Sandbag

MEDITATION

Pranayama Breath

Nadhi Shodhana

Quiet

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Resources:
1. https://yogainternational.com/article/view/finding-faith-in-the-spirit-of-yoga
2. https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-is-faith.html
3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/spirituality