resolutions: be with what is, was + will be

yearlong life lessons

I sat down with the universe and told her I wanted to grow. / I told her to use me as a vessel. / So she made me uncomfortable. / She stripped me of everything i knew. / Made me learn how to be silent, how to let go. / How to stand my ground, how to be more understanding. / How to fight, how to survive. / How to be more assertive, more loving, less naive. / She told me to take everything I have learned and share it with others.

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In Genny Kapuler‘s first Iyengar yoga class of 2019, she reminded us that we never stop learning – literally until we die. She referenced the Yoga Sutras, saying that with each practice we gather new information, whether it’s our very first or 1 millionth downdog. She mused that life is always unraveling and so we practice to keep it together; we practice because pain is inevitable, but suffering can be optional if we have the tools to work with what comes up – whether desirable or not.

Regardless of our intentions or resolutions; whether you partied past midnight or went to sleep quietly [I was in bed by 10:30 pm by choice]; if you decide to reflect on 2018 or make a list of 2019 goals [or none of the above] — I think we can all agree that, if we really look back at the ghosts of seasons past, every year consists of a roller coaster ride of emotions, events, experiences, highs and lows, hopes and dreams, letdowns and unmet expectations, and everything in between.

Our work, then, goes much further than learning from what has already happened or setting stepping stones to achieve future milestones, but to really allow everything to be just as it is in the moment, just as we are. I love meditation for this reason – the practice is simply to sit and be present, which can be much more difficult than an actual workout or checking off a to-do list of desires and chores.

And so I challenge us all this year to:

• Honor not only how far we’ve come or where we’d like to go, but more importantly where we’re at. We are 100% enough as is. Period.
• Pay attention to what arises in each moment – whether painful or painless – exercising our ability to be aware and alert.
• Reflect on the past and set intentions for the future, then let them be without attaching them to our ego – resting in the present moment as often as possible. This does not mean passivity, but rather practicing a calm, steady focus as we move through our day/life.
• Be grateful for what was, what will be, and what is – allowing the vast array of feelings to come up alongside general appreciation for all the lessons learned/still to come.
• Do what brings you joy – resolutions aside. Laugh, dance, sing, be with people who light you up.

What’s one thing you can do today to relieve yourself of the burden of reflecting or projecting and just be in the moment, wherever you are and however you’re feeling?

Happy new year everyone. Thank you for being here and for showing up for yourselves in this way.

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Photo by Grant Henry Media at YogaWorks Soho, NYC.