For more than 20 years I have been working my own acceptance of life as it happens. Can you believe that?  Twenty years? One could say I should have mastered that feat by now.  Perhaps I am one of the few, unique in my own neurosis that struggles trying to arrange all of the little pieces of theuniverse in a particular order that suits me.  Mind you this order has to be precise and specific to my liking if one little piece is out of place watch out.

Can you identify with this idea?  How do you respond to the world when you are threatened or percieve a threat to your personal well being or livelyhood? Do you scramble in an attempt to "fix-it" or do you sit with it and really "feel" what is happening.  It is difficult sometimes to separate the thoughts of fear or percieved threat from what may be really happening because our constructs (the thoughts we create in our mind) may be slightly off center.  You may have heard the terms "centered or grounded" both have differnent meanings but can be used as tools to we can pull out when life is slightly challenging. 

First become centered, coming back to that safe place in your life where feel totally secure, this is a mental movement and not physical.  Mentally through meditation come back maybe to the kitchen with your mother who just baked you cookies and is there to listen to your day, or perhaps it is with your partner who lying next to listens to your struggles and dreams while being wrapped together in a loving embrace, or perhaps it is an active discussion with someone you have 100% trust in, they have your back and you know it, you can open up to them about anything and you know they will support you without judgement.

Second, grounding.  Grounding is becoming clear about what is true, identifying self-limiting beliefs and letting them go and getting present with your reality.  To get grounded first you have to be willing to become centered, then you honor what is true.  To honor what is true you take an honest, fearless look at your life as you know it, bounce that off of someone who really, truly knows you and ask for their feedback.  Once you really know where you are, sit with that in peaceful meditation; I like to pray to God asking for the strength and courage to face the truth. 

In my Yoga Practice the focus on Ujai breath brings this all together.  For me it is a place where I totally empty my mind of all thought by bringing my inner focus on the breath which in turn creates space for sentering and grounding during quiet meditation.  Most important in all of this is to come from an posture of willingness.  Being willing to accept life as it happens, knowing that you will be okay. The truth for me is this; when have I never been okay?  If you know me and know my story you know the answer.

Next up letting go.