25 years in the past, a boy and I have been on our approach to a cabin in Minnesota when the motive force slammed on the brakes and yelled excitedly for all of us to get out. It was the northern lights. We spent the following 20 minutes laying on the hood of the automotive watching the sky dance.
I’m positive I felt elated and in awe. However once I suppose again on that reminiscence now, what comes up is completely different. Over time, it modified. The thrill and chatter quieted down and it turned smaller – extra condensed – treasured. Now, that reminiscence brings me just a little shot of teary-eyed gratitude.
Yoga challenges us to concentrate to the results of our reminiscences. Every time we predict again on a reminiscence, just a little path ripples by way of our thoughts. That path (yoga calls it samskara) will be like water and wash away shortly. However earlier than it does, it impacts our current second. It would convey a quiet little shot of gratitude like my northern lights reminiscence.
Or if it’s a reminiscence that we take into consideration extra typically, that samskara path will be like sand and stick round for a bit. It impacts our current second a bit extra – perhaps impacting a choice or a temper. As a result of it’s impacting our current moments a bit extra, we’d like to concentrate on it.
If it’s a reminiscence that we take into consideration steadily (consciously or subconsciously) that samskara will be like cement. That path is at all times there, intimately intertwined in our current moments. It impacts our decisions, how we take into consideration ourselves, {our relationships}. A cemented samskara isn’t everlasting in case you don’t need it to be, but it surely takes numerous work (meditation, prayer, remedy…) to put on it away.
That very same boy and I simply skilled the full photo voltaic eclipse collectively. My northern lights reminiscence was like sand, affecting a lot of my current moments this week. It impacted how I seen the eclipse, the quantity of eclipse data I texted our daughters. Most of all, it impacted my pleasure for including one other optimistic samskara into my reserves. Recollections matter.
Till subsequent time,
Laura
Need extra?
How routines have an effect on us: What are you sending out into the world? (yogatrailtalks)
The hidden optimistic needs behind our damaging ideas (yogatrailtalks)
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