Perceptions & the Mirror That Yoga provides

Perception

Perception-we shouldn't take things personally...

Ok, so of course we can, but that is a choice and I think most of us realise that most of the time.
A friend confided in me recently about a family "upset" let's call it, and her conduct was so impressive it really made me look twice at how I behave when I open my heart to those I presume are going to be nice to me, and then aren't, and how much it hurts. Am I taking things too seriously? Did I really offend that person?
Perhaps owning that link of trust that the other person isn't aiming their pain at me necessarily, I might be one of many they are lashing out at. So It comes down to a hand full of presumptions, assumptions, perceptions and opinions. No wonder there are so many therapists thriving in our modern culture.

Friends
I occasionally listen to a BBC sounds radio show called 'What's up Doc". The episode I was listening to yesterday was about friendship, one of the things they talked about with this expert was the post. 100 years ago and before, there used to be up to 7 post deliveries a day in London. This shows me that not only did our ancestors have a bit more time on their hands, but also how important friendships were, and I might add, still are and are now woefully undernourished by our current behaviours.

Conditioning
When titled like this, the word 'conditioning' reads a bit sinister, and could well be, but in this context let's keep it sociological.
Our environments, the people we choose to spend time with, who we work with, who we study with, who indeed we interact with ever, and so many other choices we have made and places we have been all have a part to play in how we create our perceptions, and mercifully for our probably overworked minds, all on the sub-conscious levels of awareness and perception. We may get glimpses of this in our dream lives, but really it's mostly undercover and being processed by the most efficient and mysterious of computers- the brain. These ingredients which have sometimes been placed upon us, but often been our choices, form how we are in a unique and wonderful production of the drama of us.

Whats the point?
I'm beginning to sense a question or two popping up..
"Why is this useful to talk about in regards to yoga practice"?
"What can I do about it if I want to change it"?

Constant updating
It all goes into the mix of how and why we end up in a Yoga session of any kind. I first went to a yoga session because my friend was teaching it and she invited me. Was that people pleasing? Well, in this case- so what? It lead eventually to a lifelong project which has many secrets and much mystery and keeps me on my toes, so to speak.
I do think for most of us these questions are really helpful to dispel the fluffy sugar coating that often inadvertently comes with Yoga.
It is a grounding practice, one that guides us back to self understanding if not knowledge, although of course everything is in flux anyway so we do need constant updating and why not do that updating in a pleasant, social setting amongst others who are well up for it too.

Notebook
Incidentally I have put in my most recent notebook a handful of questions for myself to check in with my current activities and projects in order to stay aligned with my own dreams and intentions..

What is it that stops me doing some things?
Complacency?
Fear of failure?
That I cant really do it?... and don't want to learn?
Or perhaps this is someone else's dream?

These questions are somewhat personal to me, and that last one particularly has an element of "thats why I'm self employed" all over it.
It's a reminder that when I have emotional highs and lows I can come back to a sense of balance knowing I have tools in my "kit" like Yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, music, EFT, (emotional freedom technique- great for anxiety) incredible friends, walking the coast path/Dartmoor, my own notes to myself, the list is long, it is personal to me, and I use these things all the time to gather myself and check that those friends are indeed who nourish and lift me, and those who don't might fade, or get relegated to outer-sanctum friendships.
Yoga Nidra never gets boring.
Yin is endlessly challenging and equally wonderful, shows me that my inner landscape is multicoloured and multi faceted..
I think you get the idea..

Sticky filters
So wonderfully, your perceptions are your own to do with as you wish, to keep or not, and to share or not. And because they are yours, if anyone has anything to say about them, that is their perceptions talking to yours, this might be a great party or they may clash, in which case they can keep their perceptions/opinions/judgements for their own amusement if you don't enjoy that interaction...
It really doesn't have to affect you.

If it's obvious that you're not trying to offend anyone your conscience is clear, and yes you may have some sticky filters of your own, but so may they, this is where Yoga slots into place delicately giving you a mirror to see whether you are indeed living your dream or someone else's.

3 Quotes

A Friend

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

C.S. Lewis

Dreams

"We are such stuff as dreams are made on"

The Tempest.
W. Shakespeare

Mirror

"You do spiritual practices because you do spiritual practices, not to get to some other state, but to get in touch with who you already are, to clear the dust from the mirror, to come more fully into the present moment."

Ram Dass.

2 Ideas

Change

Change is inevitable, the one certainty outside birth and death, so why not do some of those changes deliberately, see where it takes you.
Try this without needing a sign, or looking to see if your clock says 11:11, or if a bird flew by and it's spiritual meaning meant turn left not right, do it because you want to do it, not outsourcing your Will.

To Feel

When learning about the Buddhist  "Middle way" I came across a feeling that was pretty neutral, I got used to it, liked it. The problem solver in me was rife!
...
And then the Twin towers came down in NYC. A strange neutrality in me could see the whole picture, could sense the devastation and yet I felt very little. Perhaps this was shock, perhaps this was something else but I had no guidance to tell me I was ok or not.
I went home. My family & close friends showed me I was not invincible, not enlightened and that was a good feeling.

Things to consider:

-Seek guidance

-Remember  "This too shall pass"

1 Question

Is this someone else's dream?

Im Biggging up this Yin Session as I'm busting to share it.
I'll be at Sarah Powers Workshop in Berlin the weekend before this set of sessions starts, so come and soak up some of that fresh Yin Magic through me!!

Beginning of Autumn term:
Monday 7th September

 Mondays

-All Easy sessions run through the term Mondays at Chapel House studios,

Tuesdays

-Learning Ashtanga 10 week course starts 8th September.

-Term time Easy sessions at the Forge.
-Yin evening sessions start 8th September

Fridays

-Hatha Yoga- 1.5 hours of delicious Hatha yoga

Yoga Nidra for Menopause.

Yes, the Meno-moments continue...

I can't remember what wisdom I was going to share with you as my brain is dropping its leaves right now. There may be a small unpredictable window for this sometime soon...

Time for Nidra..

Here is a link to this course should you wish to join me in your quest for a peaceful journey with inner chaos.

Book your 3-month,
(take your own sweet time)
course here.

OM Shanti
Katie

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