Living in the Flow

Great freedom lies in admitting the truth of this moment, however much it clashes with our hopes, dreams, and plans.

-Jeff Foster

Recently, I was doing my regular morning yoga practice at home, and in the middle of a downward dog, I found myself mentally going through my grocery shopping list. I instantly caught myself, and chastised myself for not being in the moment.

The next few moments I tried very hard to be in the moment. It didn’t work.

Then something happened. I stopped moving, and right there, alone in my living room it dawned on me. All my efforts to create, control, determine and proscribe this moment were destroyed, and all I was left with was the reality of the moment. The moment as it was, not the moment I desired—a moment of a grocery shopping list downward dog instead of a chakra-filled downward dog.

But suddenly it all seemed ridiculous. Instead of having a pre-conceived concept of the way things should be or actively trying to make something happen, I stepped back and became the observer. Rather than fighting the experience, I watched the experience.

And what happened was amazing! I suddenly felt an inner flow. Whatever arose was simply part of the equation—whether it was a feeling, thought, or felt sensation. I allowed and accepted everything without judgment.

I began to let go of an “idea” of the way this moment should be. I stopped resisting. And found myself sounding like one of my teenagers and saying internally, “whatever”.

Of course this doesn’t mean that we are passive observers and that we should allow others to bully, dominate or abuse us. But, it all starts by being fully in the now, by stepping back experiencing all that life is giving us, and allowing the flow to guide and direct our actions.

Every moment is a fresh and new opportunity be in the now, to be in the flow.

Blessings