In a recent workshop I facilitated, we each came up with some words or phrases encapsulating our next steps toward manifesting yoga in our lives. Here’s mine:
I placed this on my altar, and I’ve held it in my awareness each morning and afternoon as I meditate. And I came to realize that it is all encapsulated in the word SPACIOUSNESS.
Last year I went with the word CONNECT, and I have to admit that I failed to connect in the ways I wanted because I allowed myself to get too busy. I don’t regret the work I got busy with, but it took its toll on me, and my failure has taught me much, and led me to this place of craving for space, and a determination to create it in my life.
First and perhaps most relevant to my previous failure, I want to maintain a spaciousness with my time. A huge pattern of mine is overcommitting – in fact it is a tactic I use to be productive. And I will still use it , but much more judiciously. For I must create space in my schedule in order to do the other things on my list: practice, study and write. And as well, to fulfill my desire to connect that I articulated last year.
Other ways I intend to create spaciousness in my schedule:
– being present and enjoying doing things, like writing as I am now
– limiting my time on social media
– limiting when I check and respond to emails
– tracking my time and noticing places I unconsciously waste time.
I welcome your ideas about this in the comments section!
I’d like to create more spaciousness in my overall attitude. I want to notice my reactivity and allow some time to pause before responding. I want to allow a larger more spacious perspective and awareness in general, especially in relationship, on social media, and when people differ from me. And I’d like to cultivate a more spacious attitude regarding my conception of time.
And finally, but perhaps most fundamental, I need to create physical space. Ever since my mom passed, over 7 years ago, I’ve been struggling with the physical stuff of my life. When I cleaned out her house I was aghast at the amount of stuff she had. Then I brought a bunch of it home! It has been a very slow yet steady process of letting go. And there is so much more to do. I have become increasingly aware of my sensitivity to clutter, and will be exploring how it shows up in my life, and its ramifications.
I would love to hear how you create more space in your life. Please leave a comment!
Hi Cindy,
The chaos of clutter!! I’ve been up against mine for years now. I am talking about the physical “stuff” in our lives, mostly in our houses! I have been through a remodel and flood over the last years and the dumpster loads we sent out numbered at least 30! Why isn’t my house clean and clutter free?! Because everyday something finds it’s way inside, and into my life space. So the same is true of my mind/brain. The older I get the more there is and the harder to be rid of! And so my meditation practice is the chance for me to become spacious, as you say, and overcome the feeling of “clutter mind”! A simple goal, to be rid of things, but the entire world is conniving against us!
totally with you in this Joanne!!
Oh that darn over- committing habit! It is definitely getting in the way of my practices. I notice it now more than ever – and I sense that just being aware that agreeing to / volunteering for / offering to [fill in the blank] is serving others, but not serving me! I always return from meditation retreat with the best intentions, then life ramps up immediately and like a wave crashing over me and carrying me away from shore – I’m left swimming to stay alive instead of sitting on the beach, reading and relaxing. I continue to contemplate this and more often I will just say NO to the urge to over stretch myself. When I take a moment or two, or even ‘sleep on’ a decision, I will make a wiser choice.
yes, Jackie! creating some space or pause before responding to requests has been one of my strategies as well.
Creating space for what it really important in my life has always been a struggle especially in our culture of “shoulds” and over consumption. 2015 offered me the gift of leaving my busy life in WI and moving to CO, a place I had never even visited before (how fun!!!). So here I am again trying not to fill my life with things and activity that do not serve my higher purpose/calling. I have come to realize that to keep some of this precious space I have been given, I need to get really clear about how I want to spend my time, and set boundaries around that clarity….which often means saying NO even when it is really difficult. I am also beginning to see that in order to find this clarity, I must really listen to my Heart, my Self and even what my body is telling me. I wish you the best on this journey Cindy!
A wise woman once suggested this way to say no: “I’m sorry, but I’m fully committed.” I love that spin on it!
This is so true for me too! Especially with the over scheduling for productivity and due to my desire to help. I just read your article to my partner and said asked if this helped him understand why I am drawn to you as a teacher (this and so much more). He smiled. At any rate, my entire intent of private practice was to create space, especially for the things you listed, practice, studying, and writing as well as exercise including more trail running and hiking. However, I ended up in my same pattern of over committing. This is a pattern I continue to work on and have been placing increasingly more focus on over the past weeks and months. For me it is about prioritizing and remembering those priorities when I am asked if I am available for something. That, and remembering to put relaxation/”Jen time”, time with my loved ones, practice time, studying time, and writing time on the priory list. I need to learn how to put the important pieces of my life first, and certainly, less social media time helps but there are other things I need to discover through this work. Here’s to discovery and spaciousness!
I think it is really easy to overcommit when you’re self-employed!
I wonder if what we need to do is go ahead and schedule in our appt. books the time we want to spend on the things we claim we want to prioritize? I think I’m gonna try that next week.
I’d also LOVE to find an app that tracks time, easy to use, allows you to input what you’re’ doing, then provides you stats and such…wonder if such a thing exists.
I am also going through a lot of my mom’s things that I have brought into my house in the past three years. As much as I want to de-clutter, it is an effort to let go of the past. And like Joanne, I find that my mind/brain also feels cluttered. It sounds like spaciousness is a theme for many of us this year. I made a small beginning of making space over the holidays–a result of the December workshop, Cindy– and hope to make progress a little at a time.
Janet,
that is great to hear!
I, too, am finding a relationship between the physical and mind clutter…interesting to think how they affect each other. For me, the physical clutter makes it harder for me to focus.
And of course, the meditation practice makes us more aware of the clutter, but it also helps clear it out, slowly.
This post brought home to me that I haven’t been creating space in my life, and that I sorely need to. Decluttering — yes! But I feel I need something else too. It’s something I will give thought over the next few days. A lovely and inspiring post, Cindy. Thank you!
thanks, and you’re welcome, Debra!