Learning to Stand On My Own Head

 This was a pivotal discovery in life

My moment of emancipation and freedom came from the understanding 

I am not my mind

I am more much more than my thoughts and emotions 

Thoughts are not the absolute truth, often quite the opposite!

I can change my thoughts by training my mind

I can change my life by taking charge of my mind

Fear and Anger are choices we can make just like Happiness and Optimism.

The first time I was asked to attempt a head stand was at a yoga vacation at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Kerala . My extremely stubborn and prompt response was to refuse . " No way!  I could break my neck " was running through my mind and out my mouth.

7 years later I was at the same place but this time for a month long teacher's training course.

I had been through a lifetime worth of lessons in these 7 years. Jobless despite attending over 100 interviews in 2 years, a ten long year relationship that ended a day after the engagement, acute social withdrawal, isolation and a depression that had been my steady companion for the better part of a decade.

When I joined the TTC I was ready to finally drop these tales that had become a second skin.

You see ... I  had been learning about the Mind! 

Yes it had become my favorite specimen of study, still is. I was starting to realize that - "how I interpret and choose to react isn't set in stone. I can (and did )choose a different narrative if I wanted a different outcome." 

I discovered that every single bit of suffering stemmed from the mind. The victim, the helpless girl, the rejection, the sadness was all in my mind.

Tired of these old stories I decided to change my narrative and create a new one . One where I would be the Heroine, the victor, the savior and all that I hadn't even begun to imagine.

 

And a landmark change I made was to learn How To Stand On My Own Head  

Before signing up for the TTC I made up my mind not to be afraid of anything. To trust myself and to trust Life.  I did not manage to get into the headstand without help in that one month of residential teacher's training. But the training at SYVC is extremely thorough and broken up into impeccable easy to follow steps, following which I did master the headstand a couple of weeks after returning home from TTC.

Anytime I am upside down standing on my head is a reminder of

the infinite reserves of strength I have.

My mind is not the boss

My mind has the potential to be my greatest ally

I am more than my ability to stand on my own head.

P.s. Despite what your mind may or may not say. Please seek expert guidance before attempting the headstand.