My spiritual practice aims to cultivate a mind and heart that can find compassion for all beings. After the 2012 rape and murder of Jyoti Singh in India, I was feeling lost and defeated. I emailed a dear friend, “I can’t find compassion for the men who raped and killed her,” I wrote. “My heart is just not capable of doing that.”
A spiritual warrior refuses to die to his/her true self.
From the very beginning of my pregnancy, I was clear that I wanted to do a home birth. My parents were extremely upset and worried. How could I risk the life of my unborn child and that of my own? I don't blame them for being scared. I was scared of giving birth too. Yet, my vision and desire were strong to birth at home.
As soon as you sit down and take five slow, deep breaths letting the mind rest on the present moment, you know that it is possible to slow down time. Try this once a day for a week, then twice a day for two weeks and then thrice a day for three weeks. Then try to breathe slow and deep all day. In the midst of your day notice when the breath becomes shallow and slow it down no matter what you are doing.
We are all pulled in so many directions. At least, I can say that I surely am. Before having my daughter, Mila, I spent years traveling and teaching yoga in beautiful places. It was exciting and wonderful to meet many amazing souls and to share my passions in this way. I learned an immense amount and I also sacrificed having a daily rhythm.
I notice that when people tell me that I am strong and capable, I step up, inspired to explore my potential more. When people believe in me, I remember to believe in myself. As I notice that people have this power over me, I realize that we all have this power over each other. "Who did you make feel significant today...?
I have been aware over the past year or so that it has been hard for me to stay connected to my heart and body and my power as I have been focused so much on giving. If I had not gone on this trip, I would not have noticed just how much I have distanced myself from who I am beyond the roles of mother and partner.
Seeing a child move with freedom can inspire us to look at our own lives. The timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita encourages us to ask ourselves: is our outer life (svadharma) a refection of our inner world (svabhaga)? Are we living with integrity? The Gita teaches us that submission to external authority can move us away from self-integrity. The yoga teachings encourage us to develop our inner nature, relate to the world in ever new ways and thus grow into freedom where the integrity of the self is never compromised.
