The Power of Yoga to Help One Through Times of Difficulty.

Yoga has helped me stay focused in the present moment during difficult situations. The most recent one being a very challenging scenario during my trip to Puerto Vallarta. My wallet with my bank card and phone went missing/ stolen. I had to rely on the kindness of friends and strangers to get me through the final couple days of the trip.  It most of all, I had to rely on myself and my practice to keep a calm mind and focused attention to the present moment to keep me from losing myself into a pit of despair. 

Staying focused on the present moment is a key aspect of yoga. Relaxing that there is no past and no future, just the current state of attention, is what yoga proposes as reality. So, instead of becoming depressed by what has passed or anxious of what is to come, one accepts the current state of reality, and finds peace in that understanding. 

I had several connections via airlines to come home, which included a cancelled flight. I had to rely on the kindness of the airline operators to do there best to assist me. Not just in rebooking my flight, but also to assist me with contacting my jobs and family. Instead of fearing what the future holds, I stayed focused on the task at hand and accepted the inevitable outcomes. I was lucky, and everything turned out okay. I could have become angry or demanding, but instead, remaining calm by allowing the outcome that would proceed to emerge, allowed me to maintain a state of decorum that all appreciated.

Yoga teaches that we may not control anything but our own state of mind, through the practice of letting go of the idea of being able to control the outcome of events. By focusing one’s attention to how one reacts to situations, you contribute a great benefit to all you engage with, including yourself. By letting go of expected outcomes and accepting any situation at hand, a sense of peace emerges. I am most grateful for these lessons I have learned through yoga. Do not blame others, do not blame one’s self, instead letting go of blame, you find peace.