All Good Things Come To An End
“The best journeys answer questions that, in the beginning, you didn’t even think to ask.” – Jeff Johnson
I was sad to leave the ashram. What an incredible experience! I think the single best thing about it was the people. The people who check into a 200-hour yoga class are an amazingly open-minded, respectful group. I don’t think I’ve experienced such continual positivity from such a large group ever before. It’s amazing the change it makes in your thoughts and patterns to be around such positive vibes. But I guess that is the point of yoga. For me, yoga had always just been a way to work out. Sure, there was a gentle calmness around it, but I didn’t give it too much thought. At the ashram, we learned that yoga is not a workout but a work-in.
As I listened, there were many times I had to will myself not to roll my eyes and to remain open-minded. Some days, I struggled, but as time passed, I felt my stubbornness melt away. I listened with curiosity and made lists of things to look up later and read more about when I had the time again. I’m inspired by stories from my classmates and also my first-hand experiences. There is a sutra, yogascittavrtti nirodhah, which roughly translates to: yoga is the release of patterns in the mind. Slowly, over the past few weeks, I felt that happen. My mind has let go of a loop I have been trying to let go of for the past few years. It feels so good, and repetitive mantras and meditation managed it.
What I love even more is that right before I checked into the ashram, I had received a newsletter about this very subject from Ginger Rothhaas. Ginger is a Christian coach, writer, consultant, and speaker from Kansas City. I signed up for her newsletters during covid. She is inspirational and thought-provoking. In September, she sent a newsletter that spoke to the fact that “our beliefs come from our repeated thoughts.” She encouraged, “You can change a belief with repetition of a new thought.” In the newsletter, she expands on the neuroplasticity of our brains and the way to change our actual beliefs about ourselves.
I don’t think there are too many coincidences in life; the universe is trying to help if you are open to listening. So there was the newsletter from Ginger and then a repetition practice at the ashram. I dove in and was astounded at how simple it was to stop the incessant loop in my brain and change it to something more positive. It makes the self-discipline needed to continue my yoga and meditation much easier, seeing the impact firsthand. That was the real gift of the ashram program. It is an experience of stripping it all down and having the time to break habits to see what is possible. I am very grateful for the practice.
The other things I kept thinking about while in the ashram were the rituals, the mantras, the mala beads, the chakra seeds, and more. I was constantly reminded of catholicism, repeated prayers, rosaries, and commandments. Since people at the ashram had come from all over the world, we had very interesting discussions about our beliefs growing up and what we were being presented with (there was a bit of Hinduism thrown in here and there with the yoga). We are all the same at our core; we just find different doors to the same Goodness. If only we could strip down to the essence of our beliefs and pull the politics out of them, I think we would find love is at the center of most beliefs.
The simple life of the ashram was over, and it was difficult to say goodbye to these friends. I hope our paths cross again someday. What a jolt to come out of my news-free, unplugged life to find the world in an even more desperate situation than before. A real test of the positivity I have been trying to cultivate.
Prayers for peace seem feeble, but I do not know what else to do. Love to all of you.
XO,
Bon