Feeling Freedom, A Gift of Living Yoga

The other day, while Lisa was sharing with me her frustration over the baked bean dish she’d made not being ready in time for the party with friends she made it for, I kept reassuring her everything was okay, she’d done the best she could, and she didn’t need to be upset.  Maybe the third time she reemphasized her dissatisfaction with wasted efforts, not planning better, and not being able to bring to the gathering what she’d promised, I realized my lack of empathy and rush to “all is well” was the wrong answer!

While I’m biased to be addicted to joy at the expense of good grief, Lisa errs toward pleasing people at the expense of loving herself.  I share this because one of the greatest gifts of living yoga is freedom.  Freedom from perfectionism, people pleasing, negative self talk, judging others, avoiding unpleasant feelings that are healthy (like sorrow), the consumeristic rat race, and more.  Not that we’re magically or instantly free, but progressively, as we breathe out frustrations, remember we HAVE thoughts/feelings but are NOT our thoughts/feelings, choose to see the Light at the center of each and every one of us, and breathe in Love and connection, we become more and more free.

With that in mind, today I ask: Where in your inner world could you use more freedom, and the deep joy and peace it brings?  Whether it’s an inner critic, tendency to judge others, a “need” to be or do things right, or _________, I believe the Universe is so good, each of us is already free, we’re just in the process of waking up to it.  So, today I invite us to practice breathing and feeling this mantra: “I am … free.”