What Next?

Sometimes I am overcome with the urge to pick up a really good book but am not sure where to start.  Do I go on Amazon, peruse the selections and read the reviews to help me make a choice, or head to the local library and browse the shelves for something that catches my eye?  Sure, these are options but I have found that what works best every time, without fail, is to simply wait and trust that the right book will come to me.  Some of the most life changing books I have ever read have come to me in this manner.  One I found on the shelf in the freebie section at the dump, and many others have been given to me or recommended by friends, family and acquaintances with uncanny timing.

Most recently, I realized I wanted a really good book to read on my vacation, which is coming up at the end of the month.  I looked on Amazon but my gut was telling me to just wait, something will come along.  A few days later, my daughter's preschool teacher, who I have gotten to know quite well over the past year, brought a book in for me that she found while clearing her shelves at home called "Yoga and the Quest for the True Self" by Stephen Cope. The author is a Western trained psychologist and now teaches yoga and holds a position at the Kripalu Center and the book is a fascinating blend of yoga philosophy and Western psychology.  She said she immediately thought of me when she came across it on her shelf. Even more interesting was the story she told me of finding the book at Barnes and Noble.  She recalls that she was coming out of the restroom and just happened to notice the title.  Ironically, she does not even practice much yoga and the book has a very plain, unassuming cover so she wasn't sure exactly what drew her to it.  But she felt compelled to buy it so she did.  She loved it and was kind enough to share it and the book is having quite an impact on me.

As I listen to my deepest intuition and continue on my path I have discovered that my true passion and fascination lies in bridging the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies in healing the mind and spirit, allowing a person to live to his full potential as a whole human being.  It is clear that most Western therapists do not address the role of the soul or spirit in psychotherapy.  Since we exist in this world as body, mind and spirit it is alarming to me that the entire being or person is not being addressed during therapy.  Since the meaning of "heal" is to "make whole" I believe we are therefore missing the mark and significantly impeding the healing process by only acknowledging the mind in Western psychotherapy (and the body in Western medicine.) 

In the foreward of the book "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" the author states as follows: "The majority of Western phychotherapists do not, as yet, recognize the existence of the Atman, the Godhead within man - and do not, therefore, help their patients achieve the union of perfect yoga."  (Perfect yoga is the union, or yoking, of individual consciousness with divine consciousness or intelligence.)

He goes on to say "As for those psychotherapists, now becoming quite numerous, who take an interest in yoga, many of them would no doubt state their position somewhat as follows: 'We can help our patients to a certain point - to an adequate degree of adjustment on the psychosocial level.  Beyond that, we're not ready to go.  We recognize the possibility of a higher, spiritual integration, but we prefer not to make it part of our therapy, because we believe that the two should be kept separate.  If a patient wants spiritual integration, we can only send him to a yoga teacher or a minister of religion.  Where we leave off, yoga begins.'  And there, for the present, the problem rests."

When I read these words, it is difficult to explain how I feel, but it's like a longing in my heart, a passion, conviction and excitement over the fact that there is some serious work to be done.  I see now how the path I have chosen to date is laying the ground for my future work.  First, my dive into yoga teacher training, then a taste of coaching through the additional certification I completed last year through Health, Yoga, Life www.healthyogalife.com.  But I want and crave more and it feels so amazing to have clarity around the type of work and purpose I feel I am meant to do and serve in this lifetime.  So, my next step will be embarking on a two year seminary program offered through the Tree of Life School for Sacred Living in Amherst, NH www.tolinterfaithtemple.org.  Upon completion of my studies I will be ordained as an Interfaith Minister.  The program will serve to further my own healing and clearing so that I will best be able to connect with the divine impulse within my heart to know how to best serve and manifest my life's purpose.  This concept and belief is what the entire program is centered on - it involves a serious commitment to daily spiritual practice, such as meditation and/or prayer as well as exploring the common threads found throughout the world's major faith traditions (Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, etc.)

I feel that in order to support others, I need to be as far along in my own healing journey as possible, which includes continuing to further my knowledge and understanding of the psycho/spiritual realm, but most importantly to continue to enhance my direct experience of God, or the soul, which I know this program will help support.  It will be wonderful to be surrounded by people going through a similar experience, discovery and transformation.  Currently, my vision also includes embarking on a Master's Degree in Psychology but so far I have yet to find a program that fits all my needs.  So, like my desire for the perfect book, I trust that the ideal program will present itself at just the right time.  But I am also open to what else could be in store for me that has yet to come into my field of awareness.  Stay tuned! :-)

Beautiful Quote and Photo

To follow up on my post from earlier this week, please take a look at this beautiful photo and inspirational quote that ties in perfectly to what I was writing about.  This was posted by my yoga teacher, Maureen Miller, on her Facebook page Living Life Making Choices.  If you like what you see, please like her page!

http://www.facebook.com/livinglifemakingchoices#!/photo.php?fbid=10150686837546322&set=a.10150197083856322.342194.253498356321&type=1&theater

The Voice

I feel compelled to begin this post by talking about how long it's been since my last post.  But I think that's how I started last time, so it's probably getting old.  But I am aware that I am a very sporadic blogger. Awareness is the first step towards change though, right?

I have missed working on my blog and could list a whole host of reasons why I haven't had time.  But that would make for a really boring post, and the fact of the matter is that I simply did not make the time for it. I do not really buy into the whole "I don't have time for that" excuse.  If something is a priority, time can always be created.  But I am digressing here....I will say that the push I needed to finally stop procrastinating came from a friend who posted a comment today stating that I was her inspiration for her to start a blog of her own, which was one of the highest compliments I have received.  Her blog is wonderful and can be viewed at http://juli-thelittlethings.blogspot.com/.  It made me think "Wow, maybe I do have something to say that people find interesting."  What a concept.

What I find so inspiring about reading other people's blogs is that it shows who a person really is down to the depths of his or her soul.  Blogging provides an avenue for people to express his or voice and to shine his or her unique light out into the world wide web.  As you know, there are blogs on just about every topic imaginable.  For someone to devote the time and energy it takes to write a blog means it is something they are extremely passionate about.  It just amazes me that people possess such an endless variety of fascinating hobbies, interests and talents, and how many colors to the rainbow of humanity there really are.

Yoga and meditation have helped me to clear the static of my thoughts and dial into the deepest desires and impulses of my own heart.  This intuition that every person holds...the deep feelings, ideas or sensations that go beyond the five senses we are accustomed to using....has become my compass, my guide as I navigate this incredible journey of life.

I believe we are all born with these inner impulses planted in us.  It is what makes us uniquely us...they are our divine gifts, or dharma, whether it be something big and bold like being a gifted athlete or something a little quieter, like being a really amazing listener.  It is our duty to recognize and honor these gifts that have been bestowed upon us, whatever they may be.  As the Bhagavad Gita states: "It is better to perform one's own duty (dharma) imperfectly than to perform another's duty (dharma) perfectly."  So where doubt used to reign, I now fully trust and respect who I am and see gifts and talents where I used to see none.  I listen to the little voice inside and I enjoy listening to others expressing their individual voices as well.  We all have beautiful and special gifts to offer if we could just turn the volume down on the fearful and doubtful cacophony in our minds and listen instead to the song in our hearts.  This song has many different melodies...it could be singing a tune about a vocation that feels as if it would be deeply fulfilling, or something particular you feel really compelled to say to someone, or just a general feeling of knowing you are on the right path.  When we hear the voice from within that is sending us messages, our tendency however is to usually stifle the voice with self doubt.  We may say things like "I could never make money or be successful doing that."  Or, "What I have to say does not really matter."  Or we might bend to the opinions of other people rather than carving the path that feels truly right for us.

This is not to say that doubt does not still arise for me.  It does, a lot.  But I have learned to simply take a look at this doubt, ask myself if it is true or holds any merit, look at the situation from as wide of a lens as possible and then usually default back to whatever my intuition is telling me.  As the saying goes, I have learned to "doubt my doubts."

A friend recently shared this short poem written by the beloved children's poet Shel Silverstein with me.  It is called "The Voice" and contains wisdom to be valued by the young and old alike:

There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
"I feel that this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What's right for you - just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.