“Nurture your soul by feasting on Truth. Fast from worry, fear, and all forms of negativity and grow stronger in Spirit.”
~Yogacharya Ellen Grace O’Brian
I send my love to you this morning.
As political turmoil escalates, many are experiencing the full range of emotion that accompanies periods of unrest. I have witnessed in others and within myself fear, outrage, and moments of grief. Waves of emotion will continue to crash upon our shores, coloring our perception, until we are able to catch our breath.
Yoga is imbued with beauty and strength. The Gurus encourage us to sit quietly, amidst the clamor, and follow the breath until the mind becomes absorbed in the quality and rhythm of each inhalation and exhalation. Once the waves in the mental and emotional field subside, we experience sweet refuge in the still waters of our very nature.
Several years ago, I fell in love with the Sanskrit term dhriti. The translation of this term is strength, courage, and patience. It refers to the ability to sustain steadiness in mental field and control over our senses regardless of outer conditions. It requires determination. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna speaks of dhriti as the unwavering perseverance that is cultivated and used to remain calm and steady through the trials and tribulations of life.
We must rest, tend to our practice with care, and build our spiritual strength so we may move forth with a vision and purpose. When we embody inner peace, clarity and wisdom arise. From stillness, compassionate right action reveals itself to us. Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world”.
We are being called to live in a higher way and contribute to the wellbeing of all. As we do, that which is not grounded in Truth will be washed away.
Rev. Julie Hitchcock