Whole Life Yoga - The Guru Within

External things do not satisfy ultimately

We don't get happy by getting, that "girl/guy", that "job", car, plane, present, house,award, whatever. Happiness comes when we have the clarity to realize something important. We can be happy simply because that is how we choose to be. It is challenging because this is not how we have been trained by our upbringing and society. Unless perhaps if you lived in a Buddhist monastery.

Conditioned By Outside Voices

Most of us have grown up believing that we need third party endorsement of everything in out lives. We constantly are asking if we should approve of something, decline something, love something, and hate something. We are told through the, "should's" in life. You should go to college, you should get married, you should, you should. While the shouldders say, "No it doesn't matter if follow what I am telling you to do. I am different, I am exempt from my own voice. "

Who Says?

So who says they are right? Who says you have to accept what anybody thinks? The only person who really makes you feel any way is you. It has always been up to you. You were just sort of buying a bill of goods that what others think matters at all. You don't have to saddle yourself with nasty labels. These lead to a mind that is a critic of everything and it moves the center of power over your happiness into the environment around you.

Let Go Of The Drama

Life's soap opera is what keeps you chained to this mindset. The soap opera is predicated on a story. One that is made up. It is the story that we tell ourselves and it is filled with drama. Part of the path to happiness is to stop telling ourselves most of these stories. Live centered in each moment. It may be hard to get a grip over what may happen in the future. But if you really think about it. At this very second. Things are probably more okay than you think.

Contemplate Happiness for Happiness Sake

So here you are a this moment. Consider what actual danger you are in right now. For instance, if you are reading this is unlikely that a tiger is attacking you. If it is, gently shift your perspective to the tiger, because it is a tiger goofball. Deal with it no longer than you have to and then move on. But, again, likely you are not in this position. So if you think about it, this moment is not all that bad. There are other things you can start to take stock in related to this moment. The most simple and humble things are the best to look at. As you inventory this moment you will begin to find that it is okay. Don't worry about 10 min from now. The only time you have is now.

Grateful For Being Grateful Alone

A method you might use; think of things that you are truly grateful for. Even if they are very small things. Those are generally the best because things of simple virtue are easier to digest emotional like the big things in life. As you tick off and acknowledge these little snapshots of happiness think about how it physically feels to be happy. How does it feel in your body when you are happy or grateful about something. Science seems to show that the same area of your brain that is dedicated to pain regulation is in gear when you are grateful / happy. So it will have a physical impact on your body. As goes the body, as goes the mind. So soon you can take it a step further and begin to foster the physical sensations of happiness when you want to. Then you are on the way to being happy and free just because you want to.

You have become the one who instructs your own soul at this point. You have become the teacher and the student. You now learned how to foster the guru within.