By Gurudevi Nirmalananda

Right now, life isn’t exactly what you had in mind.  Fortunately your mind is quite creative.  You have the whole of the creative power of consciousness intact within you.  Once you assess and understand the external realities, you’re capable of coming up with new ways of doing things, even new things to do.  You know how to make lemons out of lemonade, especially because you’re a yogi.

That’s the point of doing yoga, to awaken your hidden capacities.  Along with improved physical condition, your mind is clearer and your heart is more open.  Better yet, the more yoga you do, the higher you register on the happiness scale.  Your creativity expresses itself in paper and pen handiworks or online contributions as well as in baking and décor.  It also makes you good at problem solving.  A yogi can do anything.  It’s because yoga is a warrior tradition. 

You might have thought that the ancient sages left the world and secluded themselves in the woods and mountain caves.  So you take a time out, even hide in your little corner of the world and wait it out – another year or so.  That’s one way of handling all of this.  But it’s not yogic. 

Yoga is a warrior tradition.  Think of it this way, if all the yogis hide out during times of turmoil and danger, where are the peacemakers and healers who can truly change the world? You’re not a wimp.  Your yoga makes you capable of more than ever before.  It’s time to meet the world where it’s at.  Put your heart into it — make a difference in the world.  What should you do?  You decide!  You get to choose what direction to go, but it’s time to get moving.  My Guru told us, “It’s easier to steer you than to push you.”