In each moment, as the world turns, we could justify the reason to escape reality as the most sustainable option. To bear witness to all of the suffering would take immense strength and the broadest perspective which feels nearly impossible to access or process. Rather than choose sides as a knee-jerk reaction, could a deep surrender to the moment, an effort to soften the mind of duality that works hard to forever choose sides, be able to seek solution through the journey of heartbreak and compassion? Is there a chance that the mind that can settle into the realm of equanimity, become the resource that can walk us toward the answers that could truly provide Peace?
…we could justify the reason to escape reality as the most sustainable option.
Many of us lack the true privilege and luxury to take a meaningful break from the intensity of all that happens in a day. We are often so caught up with all the triggers of material life and follow blindly, that to see clearly would come at too much of a price. When we do have a moment to step out of the flood of emotions and reactions, may we recognize that that sheer availability of choice provides an opportunity for service. It allows us emotional space where we may awaken our most useful energies and create action, a ripple for change within and around us. Many of us fall into believing a version of what is happening because of the source we choose to learn from. Our world is skillful at encouraging us to take sides and to justify reasons for staying firmly planted in that decision. Whether politics, family battles or the marketing of one product over another, we are fixed on trying to polarize and thereby create disharmony. Our sport’s fan mentality loves winners and hates losers. Though, ironically some team players enjoy the game that’s played well and aren’t solely focused on who wins and who loses – they understand the bigger picture and can aim to do their best and not create a toxic sport. We may have a sophisticated life on one hand, but we’re operating at the level of 10 year olds on a playground who haven’t learned the rules of playing well together.
Many of us lack the true privilege and luxury to take a meaningful break
Awakening to humanity and the highest potential of life on this planet, happens in the moment we let go of the business of doing. In a world that values profit, productivity and ambition over fairness, balance and rest, we recognize the nature of competition exists at every level. In a Yoga class, we might find it easy to be in movement, but when we arrive at the resting pose, Savasana known as corpse pose, do we feel restless? I sometimes refer to it as the place where the exhausted mind of duality finally surrenders and awakens the inner intelligence of the body/mind. The effort is to arrive there as a point on the journey of deepest truth, not as a time to drift off and detach. The irony of this path is that it’s in conflict with much of how our world is built and functions. We’ve somehow created a dominant mindset that in effect, generates some of the greatest harm in our world – with sustaining warfare, stealing peoples’ land and attempts for genocide. And it also shows up in a different, surreptitious way via extreme pressures for material success that forsake our natural state of ease. Skillful marketing from capitalism urges us to vibrate at levels which have shown gains in some ways, but have also threatened our health, happiness and harmony. We desperately need to remember there is another way through. I pray that we consider that some of what we’ve been told is for the benefit of narrating a story that supports those who have consistently abused power. I pray that we consider there is more to every story than the blips of information that tend to enter to our eyes and ears.
The effort is to arrive there as a point on the journey of deepest connection,
not as a time to drift off and detach.
Many folks do not have the option to step away from conflict or even a moment of real rest. As one of my clients said today, “for those of us that have, we should give.” Money, time, land, service, education, empathy, light – whatever resource that has our cup filled, may we give the overflow. It’s not always an easy thing to do, especially if we forget to keep our cups at least half full! When we do give, I can say it most often if not always is one of the most rewarding things we can do. When we unrightfully take, it traps us in a cycle of greed and fear. When we are consumed by our obsessions, the hole we were trying to fill gets larger and more insatiable. This is the addiction/recovery cycle which I know very well and am grateful for that ongoing practice and awareness. There is flow in all of this and for those who take my Hatha Flow class, it’s something I reference often as a signal to “the flow of all things.” Let’s not get stuck in a pose, stuck in a way of thinking and doing. May we find a way to flow towards a peaceful solution for ourselves and for our global family. This is a both/and approach where all paths have something to say and through a distillation process, a surrendering of ego transforms into clear vision.
It’s not always an easy thing to do,
especially if we forget to keep our cups at least half full!
We enjoyed our class on Tuesday under the disco pig at 1286 Folsom Events space. The next group classes on Saturday and Sunday will also take place here to give space to Haum’s 2nd module of their 300hr Yoga Teacher Training at Mukunda Studio all week. I desperately wish I had the answers to end this world of wars and extreme conflict. Until then, I aim to not propel harm, but to inspire us to be our true selves and to live from that place. I aim to empower the movers of human kindness at Mukunda Studio.
I aim to empower the movers of human kindness at Mukunda Studio.
Let’s stay connected,
Marc Morozumi
Yes the best luxury is taking time for ones mental health and well being