Openness is the key
Some of the wisest words of wisdom I have ever been told: "be open". These two simple words are actually much more complicated to put into action then to say. Their message is relayed in a variety of ways and can be relevant to most situations in life. I have come to find that there is a bit of fluidity between the relevant situations and also a common factor that can diminish our ability to find openness.
If it was not for my willingness to be open and adaptable, I never would have become a yoga instructor. Who knows what the path without yoga would look like. The opportunity never would have even come into my radar at only twenty two if I had not been open to learning, which is a personal passion of mine. Being open to possibilities is so powerful. I believe it is the force that allows doors to open and opportunities to present themselves.
In the last week I had a wonderful experience that reminded me of the importance of being open to my life. I had planned a meeting for an opportunity to connect and grow myself in the world of health & wellness. They meeting had already been pushed back, which for some reason had sent me signals that maybe it was not meant to be. I had later come to realize that it was the timing that was not meant to be, not the meeting. When the morning of the meeting arrived I sat at my computer in preparation and my mind started running. I got overly distracted and caught up in the technical details of what the meeting and opportunity would entail. All of the choices and understandings I had of what would come of this opportunity where completely hypothetical as I would not know more details until I actually attended the meeting. But they all felt real. Real enough to induce anxiety and concern in my ability to achieve. As I was writing an email to cancel the meeting I got a strange feeling in my gut. "What am I doing?". In that moment I thought of how much distress I was causing myself emotionally and physically over the imaginary. Specifically, very negative possibilities.
It was time to check back into reality. So I asked myself, "What could happen if you go?". Maybe it won't work out, sure. But what if it does? I already knew the answer to my follow up question. If I don't attend this meeting I will always wonder what could have come of it and I will regret not following through. Fear may be an intimidating monster but regret is a life-long bully. So with openness in my heart and minor concerns I attended the meeting. All the negatives fell away. I was able to meet inspiring people and begin a hopefully long journey to learn from and connect to them.
Why does this matter? Fear is what separates us from possibility and opportunity. It keeps our willingness to be open hidden and unattainable. We can allow fear to pass through without taking residency by building up our stability and confidence in ourselves. This situation and idea of openness is relevant to any yoga practice. It can be intimidating, it can induce fear and anxiety, it can even lead us to stray from practicing all together. When we are able to stay open to the opportunities and focus on what we can attain through them, then we are able to benefit in a deep way from our experiences, on and off the mat.
The world in which we live today tragically reflects my experiences with openness, but they lack resolve to bring peace of mind... and of heart. There is mass hysteria across our nation. It has been fueled by inability to find and remain open to one another. It has grown from the fears of few and spread through the hearts of many. If we expect any positive change to happen in our community then we must find ways to open doors. Many of the doors will require positive and inspirational force and people will require guidance. But no one will find peace if there is not openness on BOTH sides of the door. This doesn't mean we have to blur the lines of right and wrong. Openness can adapt to seizing an opportunity to teach and grow. There needs to be more learning about each other. There needs to be more connection between minds and hearts. There needs to be more openness to differences on every level of how we define humanity or humanity will be no more.
