Flowing with Grace

This beautiful fall morning, as I drove over to the other side of the river for my weekly yoga class, driving through a very verdant and scenic route, I was very much struck by how much I was in the flow of the present moment and how everything seemed effortless. I listened to Marcome's "River of LIfe" a couple of times, very attentively to these lines...

"Hear the flow of my heart strings
Feel the pulse bring us closer in time
Oh! My heart is the river
Let your love flow and blend into mine...

Come and run in the river
Let the waters rejoice in your life
In my heart beats the river
Full of laughter for love and for life"


More often than not, when I am commuting, I find the driver in front of me moving too slowly, or there seems to be too much traffic on the beltway for my liking, and then I am slowly consumed with irritations to things I cannot control. But this morning, halfway into my trip, I noticed I had not been affected by those kinds of things. Instead, I was breathing in the wonderfully crisp and brisk air, delighting in the colors of leaves that were starting to turn, and keenly aware of the brilliant blue in the sky above me, punctuated by an occasional white puffy cloud here and there. I was definitely more in the flow than usual!

My teacher picked a theme for her class that was similar to mine this week, and even picked the same peak pose! Ah! Ardha Chandra Chapasana! More evidence of being in the flow!

She shared something she had learned in a workshop with Sianna Sherman this part weekend, who noted, that when we engage the three directives/principles of Anusara Yoga - "Attitude, Alignment, and Action" with integrity - it gives rise to a fourth - "Alchemy" - which opens the door to transformation.

This morning, I received this newsletter from JewelsoftheLotus.com. And it was most appropriately titled, "Flowing with Grace," which is one of the translations given for the word Anusara. Here is what Cathy, the author of this newsletter had to share, and they are spoken like a true teacher of Anusara, even though I have no idea if she has this connection in her life!

"Grace is the divine aspect that enables us to ride through tumultuous times and our own changes - with wisdom and strength. It is inspiring to see so many people moving through their lives with Grace, simply by staying tapped into the higher flow.

The energy of GRACE is the focus for this month...Grace shows itself in many ways and can help transcend the swirling energy that is currently increasing in intensity. Grace is the aspect of us that allows us to act from our hearts and to rise above the drama and victim consciousness.

When we consistently choose to stay tapped into the higher flow - we can disconnect from the fear by that which is out there. With Divine Grace in our hearts, any attempts to pull us back into the world of duality will be met with a feeling of peace and centeredness.

If you don't think that is within you, think again. You have the power, you own the power. Use your discernment to tap into your body and know instantly how you feel. Simply put, it it feels good - do it. If not, walk away - or give it more time.

Grace is knowing when not to get sucked into the drama. Sometimes we can't help but get swept up into the whirlwind of others. And, when we do get pulled in, sometimes it is hard to lift ourselves out. Knowing that we are higher beings, can help us to detach from the storm quickly and more easily. Getting grounded again and staying tapped into the bigger picture helps regain perspective.

Grace gives us the energy to treat ourselves with wisdom and love.

GRACE IS:

  • knowing when to ask for help
  • owning your divine radiance
  • fully aligning your energy
  • knowing when to step back from drama
  • radiating peace
  • letting go of old energy
  • being fearless
  • forgiveness of yourself (and others)
  • the ability to stay non-reactive
  • letting others be exactly who they are
  • practicing discernment and seeing what is truth or illusion

Remember, there are times when we ignore inner guidance and it turns out to be a huge lesson and then there are times when we listen to our guidance and it still turns out to be a huge lesson. Maybe it doesn't go as planned or maybe it turns out to be better than you imagined! There are no right or wrong roads, no good or bad roads - the key is learning to detach from judgments and stay in acceptance. Our purpose here is spiritual growth - Grace is the wind that can help you follow the path.

So have fun flowing with Grace through your daily life, and take notice of the beauty all around you. Be well, stand stall and let everything in your life be touched by the Grace that is you."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thank you, Olga. These are the exact words I needed today! Namaste. Gwen Nitya
Olga Rasmussen said…
Glad to hear that - blessings on you Gwen!

Olga

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