What is Your Calling?

Imagine your body standing. Imagine your feet growing roots into the ground and your heart and crown of your head glowing, streaming energy upward into an invisible, yet powerful energy field.

That's essentially what Bhumi — the director at the Yoga center I will be taking my training at — said we are. She said we are beings who walk the earth, but if we push our minds and egos aside, tap into our higher Selves, we are all connected to one single source. As soon as we create that shift in consciousness, the universe opens before us.

Pretty powerful stuff.

On Sunday, I attended a Restorative Yoga/Yoga Nidra workshop. It was three hours long, but it felt like I'd gotten a whole day's worth of Yoga in.

Before I start actual teacher training in January, I wanted to get a feel for some of the things I'd be learning. I definitely got a taste of it Sunday ... and my spirit is thirsty for more.

I learned a few easy, relaxation poses people can do for 5 to 7 minutes a day that essentially restores the energy in the body at a rate equal to a 30-40 minute power nap. I learned how our mind, our thoughts, stress, anxiety, etc. all burns energy constantly, sends it off into the world, oftentimes with negative entrails.  Restorative Yoga is about helping rejuvenate our bodies and hopefully burn less energy the more we gain control of our minds.

But the second part of the morning, Bhumi covered Yoga Nidra and the ways this ancient form of meditation takes you to the deepest levels of relaxation while still remaining fully aware.

Bhumi talked about how Yoga Nidra, which means "Yogic Sleep," addresses the root of all problems physical, mental and energetic ... and alleviates the cause of stress while awakening our inner healer. It can essentially help the body heal itself, help free us from old patterns, reconnect to the source of our own power, help with that conscious shift toward enlightenment and help us discover our life's purpose.

Imagine that.

She was talking about how when we're born, our egos slowly grow and eventually take over. Our minds, constantly fueled by emotion and identity, categorize everything we perceive, putting it in the "good" or "bad" categories, judging everything, every situation, every person, creating a false identity or identities within us. We forget our purpose and veer off the tracks. When we're lost, everything feels like a struggle or harder than it "should" be. There is always a feeling of agitation under the surface of things ... of discontent, of wanting more. The mind always wants more, the grass is always greener.

I'm sure we all know what I mean here, at least on some level.

But when we shift our consciousness away from the mind and ego and reengage with our higher selves, which is essentially our spirits, our souls, we tap back into that unified Presence.

Hopefully I haven't lost you yet ;-)

Imagine a plant that has grown roots, but is no longer connected to the Sun. It slowly begins to wilt, grow weak, lose nourishment, vitality, energy, life. 

Here's the best way for me to explain this in my own experience. When I've been off track, lost, essentially ... I didn't know what my identity was. I was constantly searching for it in others, in men in particular. I was constantly looking for acceptance, affirmation I mattered, looking for praise, approval. I would hate to be the center of attention in a room, always seeking out the corner, yet, always secretly yearning to be noticed. Everything seemed to be a struggle, seemed to be so hard. The moments I thought I felt I was in Utopia or experiencing life at its fullest never lasted long. And when I was on the opposite end of that spectrum, I was a complete shell, with no fight left in me. I was never comfortable in my own skin, never content or secure or not terrified.

But once I felt that shift, once I felt myself realign with my "highest truth," as Bhumi calls it, I felt this deep peace inside, almost like a connectedness to everything and everyone. Almost like the plant that reconnects with the Sun, with that unified source everyone and everything else is connected to. Nourishment, life, energy, guidance and vitality emerge. I don't feel separate from those I love — even if we are physically apart — or from animals or nature anymore. I just feel the connectedness of it all.

One thing Eckhart Tolle talked about in his book is how once the "reawakening" process begins, it won't stop. Sometimes, the ego gets in the way for a bit, but never forever. I felt I was reawakening when I was a teenager ... practicing meditation and yoga, going to intuition seminars. But then my mind and ego took pretty much complete control of me most of my early to mid 20s.  Depression and anxiety came back full force ... fueling more bad experiences and lower self esteem.

However, now, the calling I felt as a child in bed, I feel it stronger than ever. If you've ever felt called to something and the moment you just go with it, you feel as though the world opened up for you, you'll notice opportunities begin to present themselves all around, situations, people, new connections, guides.

I get it now ... once you're tapped back in, the universe really does open up.

What do you feel, not thing, but feel, your life's purpose is?

My best advice to you all is ... if you have ever felt a deep stirring inside, something calling you ... perhaps someone mentions something and it causes a notable shift inside or you come across something that moves you deeply, but your mind tries to talk you out of it. Watch your mind and gently push it aside.

Once you're able to do that ... just go with it.

I dare to imagine where it will take you. I can't wait to see where it takes me.

~C~