“There is a way through every block.” These simple words from Yogi Bhajan, the father of Kundalini Yoga in the Western world, ring profoundly true. There is a way to resolve anything, but first we must allow ourselves to move beyond the fear and worry of how we might get it done.
Our ever-present Ego, our self-appointed protector and defender, automatically intercepts and analyzes every opportunity to ascertain whether it presents harm or danger. The problem is that the Ego’s perception of harm and danger doesn’t necessarily serve our highest potential because the Ego operates for the myopic purpose of self-survival.
Expansion and growth require change, often big, uncomfortable change, which, through the Ego’s lens, can appear harmful and dangerous.
While I’m becoming an increasingly better student of trusting in and surrendering to the fact that there is a way through every block, I recently learned something that catapulted my awareness to a whole new level.
My new teacher and mentor, Mary Morrissey, explained that in order to access ideas and solutions, we first much take the essential step of deciding and committing to what we want.
We must fully commit to the specific outcome we desire in order to elevate ourselves to the higher vibration where ideas and solutions supporting that outcome are available.
If we remain in a wishy-washy space of maybe, then we remain limited to less effective ideas mirroring uncertainty.
The wisdom of Yogi Bhajan’s sutra and Mary’s added perspective helped see me through an intense day of transformative practice this weekend in the annual White Tantric meditation workshop. My Ego was expectedly vocal in resisting the physical and mental challenges of the day’s seven meditations that varied in lengths of up to 62 minutes each.
“You can’t possibly hold this posture for 62 minutes. Your arm hurts. Don’t be a martyr, raise your hand and ask for a bathroom break!”
“See? I told you! 31 minutes is not a reasonable length of time to stay in any position. The numbness in your legs? It means get up!”
Knowing my trusty Ego would post like a champ, I’d prepared from the get-go to head off her persistent tenacity by fully committing to receive whatever transformation the workshop would bring me, which meant full-on participation. I planted myself firmly in the vibration of “YES!” so that the wherewithal to complete all of the day’s practices would avail to me, and it was a good thing because I required every ounce of resolve within me.
As we progressed through the day, I began to notice my own distinct pattern. I’d start each meditation with full intention to complete it no matter the length and any physical and emotional discomfort that might be triggered. About six or seven minutes into the meditation, when I had a good sense for what was in store for the remaining time, my Ego would reach a dizzying crescendo in her plight to “save” me, or more realistically, to sabotage my intentions with an endless stream of reasons for why it would be okay to quit, or to “just take a little break.”
This was not my first rodeo, per se, but I was better equipped to complete lengthy, challenging practices than ever before because of my new, empowered perspective. Not only did I fully trust I would find the way through the physical and mental blocks that arose, but my trust also was jet-propelled by vigilant focus on the outcome to which I’d fully committed.
You see, in those moments of temptation to quit, I was temporarily stuck in the place of, “I’m not going to make it.” The longer I dwelled in the vibration of that possibility, the greater the risk of it actually occurring. Only when I advanced my mind to see from the place of successful completion was I able to quiet my nagging Ego and allow the full power of the practice to see me through.
Our minds are incredibly powerful engines that will drive us to wherever we desire, but first we must make conscious decisions about our desired outcomes. Otherwise, without commitment to a clear destination, we risk remaining stuck in neutral.
Is there something you’ve longed to do or resolve but haven’t quite figured out how?
Make a conscious commitment to the result you desire, and you’ll unclog the indecision that frees ideas and resources to flow in support of your outcome.
