Stormy Seas and Calmer Waters

Please enjoy this entry from our guest blogger, Derrick. He is currently taking yoga teacher training with the Maritime Yoga College.

Week 4 - February 1st:

With each great shift, with each transformation and rebirth, there are the accompanying labour pains.

It is hard to believe that already a month has passed since we started our journey as yoga teachers in training. It is amazing, the growth and transformation that has already occurred, and still so much to come!

This day of teacher training was difficult for me. From the moment we started meditating, throughout our lecture about anatomy and skeletal structure, and even during our karma class I struggled with my mind and emotions. My thoughts were judgmental and I found myself resisting whatever was happening. My mood shifted from enjoying the activity to feeling sour and frustrated. Waves of anger, sadness, and discomfort crashed over me throughout the day.

I did my best to resist drowning in the waves; to stay present with the group, to observe these thoughts and emotions, and to stay enthusiastic about what were doing. Although there were moments where I was free from these thoughts and feelings it wasn't until the end of the day when I articulated how I was feeling that I felt the heaviness of the struggle lighten. As we shared messages from the heart in our closing circle I filled with gratitude. I felt proud for being present with my thoughts and emotions and being able to find the strength to move beyond them and thrive.

I have learned that some days are much tougher to flow through and to remain mindfully present during. I have come to appreciate these days as they provide a challenge to practice skills like patience, resilience, and surrender. When we resist our unpleasant moods and thoughts we often stifle the flow of what it is we are processing and we unintentionally worsen our situation. When we allow what 'is' to 'be' without judgement we release ourselves from the struggle and are then able to surrender to the flow of that moment. Although the flow can at times be turbulent and volatile I have found throughout my own experiences that it leads to calmer waters.

We not only ride waves of the stormy seas of our mind and emotions, but we learn, grow, and evolve from them.

Happy Sailing~ :)