I'm not quite sure why an ending needs to be a "bad" thing. Are you?
Endings make way for beginnings. In fact! During my first Yoga Teacher Training, on our very first day we were split up into three groups. Brahma (beginnings), Vishnu (middle-ings), and Shiva (endings). We were asked to physically bring ourselves into whatever group we belonged in at that very moment.
I remember being amazed at how many people didn't know which of these three phases they were currently experiencing.
The thing I embraced at that very moment (as I coincidentally made my way to the "Shiva" group), is that endings are definitely not "bad". They don't even need to have a negative connotation. Endings should just be endings. The end!
There's things in our lives that we come across time and time again that really just are not serving us. Maybe it's a friendship, romantic relationship, career, even your family. If there's one thing I've learned in my limited years, it's the fact that every single person/place/thing in your life should be serving it's purpose. When something is doing more harm than good, it's time to say goodbye.
There's something empowering within that realization. Mostly because by identifying what's not serving you you're serving and nurturing your authentic self...but even more than that....you're moving toward something greater. Something that WILL serve you.
There are some pretty gnarly feelings that go along with endings. Sometimes guilt, longing, dissapointment, sadness, anger, frustration, confusion. None of which are necessarily AWESOME to feel. But feel them anyway, judgement free.
We go through these beginnings, middles, and ends constantly through life. The cycle alone may actually be one of few constants in life. When the haze of emotion clears what's left, well, is still YOU. This amazing force who has the COURAGE to see the light, and make it to the Vishnu. (I've been wanting to say that since I started typing, btw).
This cycle, really is the essence of our life experience.
In Yoga, we call it Nataraja. Nataraja is another form of Shiva...lord of the dance. In this picture he's doing his lil' jig...making way for Brahma. This is actually my favorite Hindu deity He's just wrecking shit and dancing all over what once was.
Why, you ask?
Because he's psyched to embark, always, on the next beginning!
...most of us strive for it. Some of us get it...
...then what?
Seeking and striving for perfection is commendable. Really, it is. I see it all day long, I too tap into my inner perfectionist from time to time. Heck...I've even dated the ever seeking perfectionist.
That's the thing about perfection. There is NEVER an end result. You're always striving and striving and striving for the next slice.
For you serial perfectionists out there...have you ever stopped and enjoyed the view?
What does your endless string of perfected quests "do" for you?
I personally get exhausted when I think about myself in "perfectionist" mode. Most times, I actually feel like I'm moving against a force much like a brick wall. My brain is speeding 100+ miles a minute...and I'm literally draining myself from every resource possible that I might need to actually get myself to that perfected state.
Sound familiar?
At that drained point, I've learned how to stop and detach...but most keep on going. I did for a long, long while until I realized I never had a chance to enjoy my success. All the forward motion toward the next best thing somehow put blinders on the importance of accomplishing these things in the first place. Nevermind the light it dimmed as I moved swiftly on...
When you start to open your eyes, you see the view. When you see the view, a flow starts to seep into your movement. All of a sudden, you recognize that force...that brick wall...much more quickly. It somehow feels, un-natural. The nature of perfection IS unnatural. If we were all perfect, this world would be DAMN boring! We'd all be glamorous and successful, and my guess, we'd all be striving to be imperfect! Idiosyncrasies are what make the world go 'round! The ways we go about our work, organization, quirky personalities, organized chaos hidden within the depths of closets/basements/attics....it's all what makes us unique.
I'll never say slow down to the ever striving perfectionist. I will say, eliminate. Take all those thoughts running through your head, and the motions you go through at each turn....and assess where they're REALLY adding value. Replace it with something fun, and more individual to you.
Through perfection, perfect your SELF!
Just sort of thinking out loud...most minutes of our day to day, we stumble across quite a cast of characters.
My question...how do we let these characters affect our actions, thoughts, lives? Are you really living your own production?
These characters and all of their brilliant qualities, can seem...overwhelming. Particularly if you lose your "balance". I'm not sure about you, but sometimes I seriously feel like I'm living in a drama series. This friend with that boyfriend issue, that friend who's unemployed, this one who's car got towed, wait until you hear about his one with her ex husband who just found out about his other 8 wives.... And then of course, there's family. Which by default we're part of the production, and feel this loving itch to help/fix/solve it all.
It's intense.
Rather than muster up the energy to move past it all, we endure. Which I've come to finally realize consumes more energy than just turning a blind cheek.
The other thing you may struggle with, as you navigate your own personal cast of characters is the fact that it's pure ENJOYMENT! So you keep coming back for more. It's almost fun to get to know the different versions of people out there. And that's totally a warranted frame of mind...IF...and only if, you remember yourself. Have that clear definition of yourself handy at all times so that you don't get caught up in the wrong drama series.
Overcome the magnetic pull!
Whatever the interest, find interest in yourself first. Find true knowledge of who you are, what you stand for, and what you're here to do....retain that knowledge through every single "production" you encounter. In other words, own your own CHARACTER! Stand strong in it, and don't let any other forces sway you. This "swaying" is doubt. The only way to overcome doubt is knowledge. Always, always, always know who you are!
Find beauty in the breakdown...
...with the Olympics in full swing, it feels as though the entire world has a clear focus on MOVEMENT.
...my question....does movement always equal action?
Shifting to a yogic gear, the first of two Full Moon's in August started yesterday. The first paving way for the ever so rare Blue Moon. Then there's the fact that Mercury is still in Retrograde....so alignment wise, the hits just keep on coming!
It started me thinking...Mercury in Retrograde is quite a force. Retrogravy, as I like to call it, is a time of reflection. It's said if you're sensitive to it's affects you should really back off embarking on new endeavors. It's also said to stay away from technology. Then this full moon strolls on in and boasts of expansion, freedom, growth, surrender, peace, fulfillment, connection, and a network of loved one's who support our every move.
So...what gives?
...and then it pretty much dawned on me that action doesn't have to be movement.
Most of us are moving forward nearly every minute of every day..where is it getting us? The way these fancy moons differ from us is their movement promises EVOLUTION just by nature. Not so much with us human's. We're responsible for our own evolution! And sometimes that means....action in another way. Action in words, a thought, developing a plan, re-aligning a plan, or sometimes....staying still for a moment. All of the traits this moon holds, doesn't require any one person to take even the tiniest step physically forward. It's action from the heart. Action from the mind.
Since I'm from New York...I look up from writing this and take a look around. Movement everywhere...the angry NYC horns honking, commuters rushing, trains moving on at full speed....but where's the evolution in it all?
I believe it to be called "moving with purpose", my dear friends. Make your thoughts, intentions, and actions count in a way that will allow your own personal expansion. If you're not growing, don't do it!
As each and every one of us expands into this universe...we'll experience the evolution.
