By Janet (Janaki) Murray

“I much prefer to consciously work on myself by choosing to do the practices that help transform my mind.  Getting tossed about by outer situations and people is a much harder and more painful process,” writes Vidyadevi in Instant Enlightenment, our December Contemplation Article.  I agree!  I am so grateful to Swamiji and the Svaroopa® Sciences for the practices that yield this kind of transformation.

I have not forgotten what it used to be like, being constantly dragged around by my emotions, wading through the quagmire that was my mind.  It is not that I am no longer affected or have no feelings about the things that happen in my life.  I even feel my emotions more fully now.  It is just that they no longer define me.  My thoughts and emotions are not who I am.

I am not enlightened – yet.  Still, there is an ever-growing freedom and peace from the inner turmoil that comes from life’s curve balls.  Phew, thank goodness!

This “parinama” — the gradual transformation of my mind — has also changed the way I think about things.  One way is found in how I deal with life’s challenging situations.  I accept, even embrace them.  I see challenges as experiences for my growth even if they are painful at times.  My “edges are getting knocked off and smoothed out.”

I would even go so far as to say bliss is to be found in life’s curve balls.  When I really just sit with the issue in hand and see it all as Consciousness at play, even when it is painful, bliss arises.  The Self arises within me; peace and clarity ensue.  What better way to tackle a challenging situation?

There might have been a time when I wanted to “escape the rock tumbler of life.”  Not any longer.  Bring it on I say, I’m ready!

As it says in Instant Enlightenment, “The goal is to be in the tumbler, knowing who you really are while you engage in life fully, based in the ever arising flow of joy, happiness and love.”  So, I’ll just “do more yoga.”