"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like."
- Lao Tzu
- Lao Tzu
Acceptance. There is a reason that this is the last step in any recovery process. And in a month all about love, it seems fitting that we give some weight and energy to what often keeps us from being fully and completely loving - to both ourselves and others.
In the grieving process we go through denial, anger, bargaining and depression before we can get to acceptance...and that's a lot of bad energy there. But, the way it goes, we have to work through all of these before we can truly heal, and acceptance is the most profound component of that process.
Every person on this planet has dealt with loss in one way or another. Sometimes the loss is a complete shock and comes out of the blue with no warning. Other times we see it coming. And then there's the times that we actually cause it. It doesn't matter how it began because it all really feels the same in the end: hard. But those of us who have worked through the grieving process know that there's a light at the end of the tunnel when we can fully release the energy and accept the situation as it is.
Often times support of loyal friends or loving family members can help soften the pain, but ultimately it is our own doing to understand all of the emotions and get through it. Yoga is a wonderful system that can help support you through a painful process of recovery. In the yoga practice you get to feel your body and where the emotions are lodging. You get to sit with it, honor it, and breathe through it. But the best part of the practice is that you also get to release it. If you cry in yoga, that is perfectly acceptable! If you cry after yoga, that's fine too. In fact, crying is a cleansing that you need to allow in order to get to acceptance.
We at One Yoga Center are here to support you on the yoga mat through your ongoing recovery and welcome you to be real and honest with yourself in your practice. We also understand that sometimes you need someone else - a professional counselor perhaps - to talk to. Remember, we are simple yoga teachers. And yoga can be a very healing process when we are ready to work on accepting.
In Love & Light,
OYC Founder, Tracey L. Ulshafer & your OYC Teaching Staff
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A few years ago a dear student of mine created a short film titled "Acceptance"about her journey through mothering a child on the spectrum. I was lucky enough to host her film crew at the Ewing yoga studio one day for a video shoot. Me and a few other students are in the film taking yoga from her in one scene. And although I know what a painful thing it was for her to live with, write about, and act out, I was proud to have One Yoga Center serve a role in her movement to acceptance both on and off the yoga mat.
Let's face it, acceptance is not easy. I am fairly certain that each of us has at least one thing that we are working on accepting. Heck, I am fairly certain that there is at least one thing that each of us has not even considered trying to accept yet!
Acceptance is a truly noble thing. You have to be willing to let go of the past and have faith in the future. You have to let go with your mind and also on a cellular level with your body. In the energy system, you need to ground through your 1st chakra, feel through your 2nd chakra, find courage through your 3rd chakra, open to love in your 4th chakra, communicate what you are feeling through your 5th chakra, know when you are off the path from your 6th chakra, and completely understand and open your 7th chakra for acceptance. So, there you have it - all of the charkas need to be aligned for acceptance to find its true place.
Whether you start with working on your 1st chakra or jump right to the 4th and focus on love, I myself have seen many people work through some serious issues through the practice of yoga - self included. Maybe we can all start focusing on something positive that we can learn to accept, and move on, letting go of the hold it had on us energetically that kept us from our light.
In Love & Light.
Tracey L. Ulshafer,
Founder/Director, One Yoga Center
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