Friday, May 27, 2016

Rules to Live By


This past year I have been working on getting my 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher certification. Yoga has always been my lifeline; a set of tools to alleviate physical, mental and emotional stress. My first yoga class was in my living room at the age of 14 taught by my older sister’s friend Mike Williams who had just returned from study in India. I was quite taken and impressed by this and by Mike too! I had been in the emergency room with pain and back spasms that took my breath away due to scoliosis and a hiatal hernia. From a young age it was difficult to get out of bed in the morning due to my sore, stiff neck and back. Over the years I have periodically practiced various forms of yoga. In my 40’s after several years off the mat, I returned and did a yoga challenge. I grew 1 ½ inches in height, lost my “over 40” flabby arms and love handles, and with some dietary changes lost 35 pounds.

Yoga is so much more than the asana (the physical practice.) Yoga is an ancient set of tools; a map to navigate healthy living. It also encompasses breath work, ethical guidelines, and a road map for focus, concentration, meditation and ultimately peace, freedom and bliss.

The Yamas and Niyamas are the first set of guidelines or stepping stones on the 8 fold path of the yoga sutras (the basic text for classical yoga).

Today I want to share the first Yama, Ahimsa which translates to “nonviolence.” Yoga is meant to be experienced, resulting in self-discovery and growth. Nonviolence must begin with the self before it can be extended to our relationships and the environment. Like the Hippocratic Oath, the message is to “Do no harm.” 

My goal is to practice and model nonviolence by first becoming conscious of the automatic negative beliefs (Ants) and self-limiting beliefs (SLB) that keep us stuck; which is a form of self-violence.

Here are a few strategies to practice personal nonviolence:
  1. Recognize and then reframe Ants and SLB’s. Open your heart and mind to new possibilities.
  2. Recognize that fear creates violence and discover the difference in fear that is healthy and protective versus fear that is incapacitating and keeps you from living life to its fullest.
  3. Practice cultivating courage and compassion. Courage to look directly at our fear and to take loving action; and compassion and forgiveness for shortcomings. Delete the need to beat yourself up!
  4. Create space in your life for contemplation; prioritize time for self.
  5.   Create balance to overcome feelings of powerlessness. Learn to say no; say yes to self-care.
  6. Recognize that there are many paths to healing that lead to many choices. Lovingly choose what you eat, think and actions taken.
  7.  Love yourself as you would have others love you.
  8. Fill your vessel first so that you can give your best to others.
  9.  Give yourself the same love, time and attention that you give others.
  10. Most of all, love all of yourself, the good, the bad and the ugly. Recognize that “what we resist, persists” and creates harmful thoughts of guilt and shame. This serves no purpose and is a form of “self-mutilation.” Forgive all of your imperfections and mistakes.

The bottom line is, we can choose to react out of fear or respond out of love. If you want more peace, you have to create inner peace.

So take an honest personal assessment. Are you a worrier? Do you spend most of your time trying to “fix” others?  What if you consider accepting that we are all perfectly imperfect? Consider trials and shortcomings as vital lessons to be learned on the journey of life.

Instead of trying to fix yourself or others, consider practicing compassion, trust and acceptance that you are unique and magnificent just as you are. Practice these strategies and see how much patience, compassion and peace you can cultivate in yourself. Share what you discover.

I write these out as a reminder to self. If you’ve read my book, Savvy Secrets, you know that the more I tried to “fix” my daughter, the bigger the wedge grew between us. As a mother, it is easy to over-function and attempt to do for our children what they need to do for themselves. This robs them from developing their own strength and realizing the benefit of self-discovery.

Carpe Diem,

Lisa

ABOUT LISA JACKSON, RN, CHC, RYT

Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker, and coach with a mission to inspire and empower others to feel their best at any age. Her book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think & Thrive outlines seven steps that are fun and transforming. 
Lisa is part of the New Self Health Movement, the International Health Coach Association and the Wellness Inspired Network. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance at every opportunity.

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