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Monday, June 10, 2013

40 days

Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.

He refrained from eating food and supposedly water.

He went to battle satan...

I think he went to battle his own inner demons.

Satan in the bible is an allegory to one's ego.

Taking another queue from Jesus (the blog about Stand Up Paddleboarding features Mr. Christ as well), I decided to check in with you all on my 40 day mark.

Today marks my 40 days in a row, without skipping one day, of my daily practice of yoga and meditation.

I've done more than 40 in the past, I think I got into triple digits a few years back when I was practicing kundalini yoga every morning, but I'm doing this as the person I am now, and it has been.... life- and state-altering.

It's subtle sometimes, but altering nonetheless.

I'm kinder to myself, and that alone is worth the practice.

But I'm also growing at a more rapid pace - blowing through my own self-inflicted barriers and old shitty beliefs.

I have more courage to do and say things I didn't want to say or even think before.

I'm becoming the person I always wanted and wished to be.

My yoga practice is typically The Tibetan Five, though sometimes I throw in some kundalini as well. My meditation is 10 minutes of sitting zazen, a zen meditation with hands set together in a vessel, thumbs gently touching. (Zazen Instructions from Zen Mountain Monastery.)

Many of the 40 days I didn't want to do it. But I did it anyway, because I know this practice is vital to my sanity.

I'm in the personal business of spending time and energy on maintaining my sanity.

But not just that - I also see it as supporting or cultivating my levity, my peace, my happiness, my joy, my equanimity.


e·qua·nim·i·ty  /ˌēkwəˈnimitē/

Noun
Mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, esp. in a difficult situation.
Synonyms
composure - calmness - poise - serenity - self-possession

It's working, but much to my dismay, it requires more than just 40 days. So I will continue. This is my commitment to myself. 

How do you show up for your own happiness, peace, joy and equanimity?




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