Sweet Surrender

Sometimes, a “sweet surrender is all I have to give”, as per Sarah McLachlan’s hit song.  It is oftentimes, the best gift to offer the universe.  For some reason, we all have this sense that if we hold on to an idea, a person, an emotion,  we will continue to move forward.  I’ve found that actually the reverse is true.  We have to ask ourselves, “what are we really holding onto anyway?”  Often, it is something that has occurred in the past that doesn’t serve us in the present. It is an anchor that holds us back.  I think it is one of the most difficult kriyas that we must implement in our lives in order to fuel our happiness and peace.

I struggle with this concept a lot myself.  It’s a need for control and avoidance of pain.  It’s so much easier to just hold on tightly to something, pretend that the circumstances have not changed, and continue to live in the past.  But the result is that you suck the life out of what you grip onto so tightly, and in that process, end up holding onto something that is long gone.  You say to yourself that you miss the potential of what was and what could have been in your life.  But truthfully, the “potential” of something is different than the “reality” of it.  In order to open yourself to the beauty that awaits you in your life, you must let go of the concepts and people that do not serve you.  There is a gift in remaining present in the moment.  There is a freedom there to go in any direction.  And only then, can all the good in life  come to you and through you.  Dr. Lawrence Wilson of the Center of Development states, “Your future will find you, if you let go of your past”.

Deepali’s piece of wellness: We may have control over our sails, but no control over the direction the wind blows.  Let go and see where it takes you.

Crossing the Finish Line

finish lineThere is an indescribable feeling you have when you set your mind to something and then achieve it.  Yesterday, I felt the ultimate rush as I crossed the finish line of my 1/2 marathon.  It was pure exhiliration followed by full exhalation…..a feeling of accomplishment, gratefulness, and love, coupled with the aftermath of delicious fatigue of the mind and body.  It is a journey of giving yourself fully and wholeheartedely and then being able to relish in the view from the other side. 

I did a lot of thinking during my 13.1 miles.  As I reflected upon the many challanges I have faced in my life (as we all have), I thought about running as being a metaphor for life.  There are times you feel great and at ease, while other times you are challenged to your full extent.  There are moments of confidence followed by fear and self-doubt.  And then there are those crucial minutes when all you can do is place one foot after the next  in hopes of moving foward one step at a time, one breath at a time. 

 I realized that so many of our wellness concepts were interwoven into this run.  I was, without a doubt, exercising my mind & body throughout.  I had to be present and mindful to allow myself to have the mental and physical stamina.  I had taken the risk and challenged myself to go the distance – in more ways than one.  I felt gratitude for my health – the muscles, bones, and organs that allowed me to perform this task.  Finally, in the end, it was truly about letting go and knowing that each step was guiding  me toward my destination.      

So……how do we do this latter part?  Let’s discuss some strategies this week on letting go and going with the flow.  After all, there are countless finish lines to cross in our lives.  And each can be just as exhilirating has finishing a 1/2 marathon, if you can allow yourself to let go.  Stay tuned!

My first post…….

Welcome to my blog!  I’m very excited to begin.  When I thought about the title I would use, I thought about what the word “wellness” meant to me.  It’s certainly the buzzword all over town these days.  Being of East Indian descent, I wanted to use a word from the ancient language of Sanskrit to describe how wellness pertains to all of us.  The word “kriya” fit.  Kriya literally means ‘the action of the soul’.  We are all on this journey to live our fullest potential – from the aspects of mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. The soul is always evolving……it is, therefore, always in motion.  In yogic terms, this starts with our breath.  The wellness kriya, to me, is the process by which we all strive to become more of who we truly are…….that perfect, authentic self that  lies deep within us.  We accomplish this by engaging and incorporating 7 actions  – the ingredients that I feel make up, what I call, our wellness quotient.  Those seven kriyas are:  Exercise the Mind & Body, Take a Risk, Feel Gratitude, Be Present, Believe in Spirit, Embrace Change, and Let Go.  Living our lives with these actions in mind will increase our wellness quotient and allow us to follow our truth.  Each week we will look closely at one of these categories.   My purpose is to empower others to believe in themselves and to provide teaching tools for unleashing their true potentials.  Let’s start peeling down the layers and get to the core!