Image quote by author Jackson Kiddard
Today is September 30. I write this from my historic town of Beaufort by the Sea, in North Carolina.
It’s pouring down rain. Florida has just been through a historic hurricane. We offer prayers and help as we can for those who have been devastated
Devastation comes in many forms.
Call it chaos.
My latest obsession on the spiritual journey is understanding the role chaos can play and is guaranteed to play in our lives.
Be it personal relationships, broken hearts, hurricanes, war, threat of nuclear annihilation, death of a loved one, losses, financial or otherwise, chaos on the floor as a nurse or any area of nursing, chaos is here to stay.
What to do? One of my premier teachers is Carolyn Myss. She enlightened me about chaos and the despair which accompanies it.
A very yogic adage is:
No mud. No lotus.
Bingo! the counsel is to first expect chaos. Yes I know, not what you wanted to hear. Still there is comfort in knowing it is part of our life. Eventually it will turn up. when we least expect it of course
It lurks around the corner. It pounces. It can cripple us mentally and physically. We fall apart.
Why me? We cry!
As Carolyn Myss reminded me, “why not me?” We feel if we do all the right spiritual practices, and yoga ourselves into pretzels, we can be spared. NOT.
Le sigh. I learned when we embrace our despair related to our chaos, it will give a massive boost to our liberation from suffering.
As the Buddha said, There will always be suffering. Its how we choose to suffer over the suffering. Hmm.
Expect Chaos
To be clear here dear, I repeat. We begin by accepting there will always be chaos.
Yin and yang.
Light and dark,
The hurricane comes, the hurricane goes.
The calm after the storm.
The GOOD NEWS. As much as we can expect chaos and stop thinking we are by virtue of our good actions , we are exempt, we can also…
Expect Joy!
The flip side. Joy to the world, for the love of your friends, family, beloved heart throb, husband, wife, babies and children, and the immense, breathtaking beauty of a sunset, good health, peace and love, animals and fur babies and flowers galore, the glorious fall and falling leaves, and gourmet food, and beaches, and mountains, and, and, and….add your JOY too. NOW!
Pause for a moment and give thanks.
My practice is summed up in two words
Forgiveness + Gratitude.
Rinse and repeat.
My prayer to share if you are lacking at times for either of these, be it forgiveness or gratitude is this…
Dear God, Higher Power, Great Spirit,
When I am not feeling forgiveness, you give me forgiveness.
When I am not feeling gratitude, you give me gratitude.
You give me faith. You give me trust when I have lost it all in my despair and chaos.
Amen
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”
Once years ago when I went to my most influential spiritual teacher in India, he talked to our group about everyone wanted to go TO THE ROOTS of our problems. Our despair. Our chaos. Here is what he said,
“Going to the roots of your problems only augments them, it makes them stronger…
Going to the roots of your being frees from all problems whatsoever.”
So it is. In addition to the practice of forgiveness and gratitude there is the Sacred Remedy, part of the YogaNurse curriculum.
Sacred breath, sacred movement, sacred rest.
Yep. 1, 2, 3. There in lies the sum and substance of my personal solution to our chronic angst and anxiety.
Perhaps you feel my counsel is too simplistic. You need more guidance and direction. More personalized to you.
Do you need some help with your chaos?
It has come to me lately, there may be a need for me to begin to work one on one with my students.
How do I know, because living in chaos and despair is my specialty. And learning how to find peace when I am going to pieces is also my specialty. Hence my Divinely ordained assignment to create the YogaNurse mission and vision.
Apart from the YogaNurse courses available here at https://yoganurse.com once upon a time, years ago, I gave private consultations. On how to live with chaos and despair in nursing and in our private lives…and or a combo of business and personal guidance,
I would so appreciate it if you would let me know by commenting if this may be of any interest to anyone of you. I am here to give you service, to relieve and help you with your ok, call it beautiful mess.
AND, that’s a wrap.
May peace & love go with you wherever you go,
Love Annette
And Team YogaNurse
Do write to me or comment if the spirit moves you. I read every single reply, although I cannot always guarantee a reply, I’d love to hear from you. xooooom
FREE GUIDE!
Get powerful curated tips on the art of nurses teaching yoga
In spirit of our upcoming training: YNYTT (Yoganurse Yoga Teacher Training), we are giving away this jam-packed guide full of wonderful curated tips that will help you become a highly effective & highly influential nurse yoga teacher.
Source link: https://yoganurse.com/what-to-do-about-chaos-and-despair/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-to-do-about-chaos-and-despair by yoganurse at yoganurse.com