There is a famous zen saying, "Don't just do something, sit there." In light of this month's theme "DO," this sounds a little confusing, at first. But when you break it apart and realize that all actions should be mindful and done for the right reasons, then this month's mantra sounds more yogic than you may have first thought.
Prayer is important. Right intention is important. Planting the energy of positivity is ultra-important. One can pray and plant and think day all day long, but at some point, you need to get off your butt and DO something too. This is "Right Action" or Karma Yoga. It is one of the main lessons of the "Bhagavad Gita" (Song of God) and the an important one to infuse into your life. We all lead busy lives and DO a lot, don't we? But is every action mindful and just? Does every action serve a higher purpose?
What if it did?
What if every action you took this month served a higher purpose or divine energy? What if every action you did for helping someone else or going towards a good and noble cause? Or what if you just did it for God?
These are interesting times that we live in. It is easy to judge and spout off on social media. But if you really believe in something good, then why not DO something about it? But remember to be mindful and to come from a place of right action.
Hmm, maybe for April we should get back to reading our Bhagavad Gita for inspiration on this path!
In Love & Light,
OYC Founder, Tracey L. Ulshafer & your OYC Teaching Staff
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I am a doer. I once read a quote: "If you want something done, give it to a busy person to do." And I was honored to be that busy person. In corporate I was involved in every committee that I could be and in my personal life I often am the one arranging events and coordinating friendly gatherings. But you know what? All that doing can be exhausting! Then I had my wake up call with my concussion, and I realized that doing had to become a scarce activity and I embraced rest. But to be well-balanced, one has to be able to rest and have energy for when it is time to act. And actions should be all done in a positive way.
Living mindfully means going slow. This is also a new concept for my "full speed ahead" attitude. But I have found that slowing down and acting mindfully has deepened what I do and made my actions more meaningful, because I only have time for the ones that are really important, and I have been able to release the ones that were just "busy-ness."
The practice of Karma Yoga is the yoga of action. In its simplest form: you reap what you sow. I have been working on this a lot lately - even going to the level of my thoughts because thoughts are the energy behind actions. And when I think about something a lot, I tend to eventually do something and act on it. So I want to make sure that I'm thinking the right way too!
I no longer wish to be a busy person. I want a life that is full and balanced. Sometimes this may require me to be a little busy. But my intention is to do what I am meant to do, and that means getting back to some things that have been on the back burning for a long time too. So I've began to write again. I am in the process of writing two books - both of which I am very passionate about. Maybe you didn't know I was a writer, but when I think about myself and what I am, that is always what I think of first, and yet, I have given it the last bit of time. Not any more. I have vowed to make writing an important and regular part of my life.
What do you want to do? What does your soul cry out for? Maybe its time to stop thinking about it, make the time, and DO IT! Won't you join me?
In Love & Light.
Tracey L. Ulshafer,
Founder/Director, One Yoga Center
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