“What is initiative?

It is a creative faculty within you, a spark of the Infinite Creator. It may give you the power to create something no one else has ever created. It urges you to do things in new ways. The accomplishments of the person of initiative may be as spectacular as a shooting star. Apparently creating something from nothing, he demonstrates that the seemingly impossible may become possible by one’s employment of the great inventive power of the spirit. Initiative enables you to stand on your own feet, free and independent.” (Paramahansa Yogananda)

This past May when the venerable Patabhis Jois, creator of the Ashtanga Yoga system, passed away, a statement he had made that came to me through e-mail: “Our life is like a lightning bolt.” Our time on earth is a relative thing. In that time we have a choice. As Helen Keller put it (one of my favorite mantras) "Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all."

In exploring this adventure called life I immersed myself from age 30 to 40 especially (and still up to the present) in the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, the Master of Kundalini Yoga in the West. From him I learned many things that made sense to apply to my own life and, when translated into action, helped me decide how to live. Our motivation to discover our own destiny and truly live it to the fullest can only come ultimately from within. I have always loved biographies, learning from the lives of others how they lived. Yet each of us has an interesting map of our life to create, too. Even in that bolt of lightning, which is our life, we are given the relativity of time to evolve. As the thunder warns us of the oncoming lightning and rain, it does not all happen at once, so it is with our lives. Our personal vision can unfold like the blossoming of a flower.

In yoga we have many certain practices to help us with our unfoldment. One of these, mantra, or sound, is like a seed. As a seed resonates with the earth, mantra resonates within us and plants seeds in our consciousness that is nurtured by our words and actions as a plant is nurtured by air and water. In mantra and other forms of meditation we can really listen and if we do our vision may be more easily heard and discovered.

There is something in the near silence of nature, the vibration of mantra and the movement of the body saluting the sun that can help us listen and discover.

Yogi Bhajan, and other yogis as well, believed that happiness is our birthright, that by living our own personal vision we are able to withstand the pressures and sacrifices that commitment to our personal vision brings, with the result being happiness. In his book The Art Of Happiness the Dalai Lama writes about coming to the West, where people have so many things, and how people think that brings happiness. Yet when he opened the medicine cabinet of the smiling people who were entertaining him in their beautiful luxurious home he was surprised to find anti-depressants and painkillers on the shelves.

My personal vision has evolved through the trial and error of life experience. Long ago I knew that a “regular” job would not fit my temperament and did not make me happy. Experiencing life meant rejecting much of what family and society felt and insinuated would make me happy. Security is good and it is helpful. Security can be very helpful and comforting, but it is not guaranteed even when you have it now, and it is not what makes you happy. Recently there was an article in the NY Times about how laid-off corporate executives are flocking to yoga retreats/ashrams, committing to as much as a year of their lives to being there. They are reassessing what they thought was their life vision in these changing times, as many of us are. The principles of yoga do help us become content and happy. Even with the external circumstances we cannot control the mental aspect of yoga, which can be the most challenging yet the most useful. In yoga, a process that is a lifelong practice, we can attain.

“The wealth of purification, including beauty, gracefulness, strength and the extraordinary durability of a diamond.” ( Sutra lll: 47).

In recently released, beautifully presented Kundlaini Yoga book Waves of Healing D. Siri Atma Singh Khalsa on page 24 says:

“I see people spending a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to change who they are, instead of learning to love and accept their strengths and weaknesses. This is a life of polarity, there’s no doubt about it. Your greatest strengths can come out of your weaknesses. If you just focus on eliminating your weakness you may miss the lotus flower growing out of the mud."

This is a beautiful image. As we live our vision, realizing along the way how to use our strengths and weaknesses to our advantage with acceptance, we can direct our energies in a way that works for us. It may not work for someone else, but if it works for you that is enough that is good. No one else can be in your skin and know what excites you like you do. One of the experiences that we share with our guests at Sewall House is called Yoga Nidra, or yoga sleep. On the recording that we play the woman’s voice says, “ This time is very precious. Think, do not waste it.”

Yogi Bhajan gave us steps to happiness that start with commitment but do not stop there. There will be sacrifices, character-building experiences, laughter, tears and obstacles. The whole equation leads to dignity and grace in our lives.

In her book Faith in the Valley Ayanla Vanzant sums it all up very well with these words on Dedication and Purpose:

"There is one sure was to know that you are doing exactly what God wants you to do: you will be at peace. Not every day. Not all the time, but even in the midst of hard times and confusion you will feel good about what you are doing. Even when it seems like you are going nowhere, you will know there is absolutely nothing else on earth that you can do than what you are doing. It”s called being on purpose.

"There will be times when you want to walk away—but you won’t. You can’t.

Perhaps the money will not show up fast enough. You will figure out what you can do with the money you have. Maybe things you think you need, will not be there when you think you need them. You will figure out how to do without them.

"You may even convince yourself there is something bigger, better, more rewarding, you can be doing with your time.

"Just when you are about to give up, you will get a second wind, some much-needed help that will keep you going just a little longer.

"When you are doing what God wants you to do, the money will not matter. You will be willing to stick it out in the bad times. You will ignore the people who tell you, you can’t or that you are crazy. You will be so intent on finding the happiness and success you know you deserve, you will be at peace. In peace, you find God’s purpose for you."

And finally, another meditation from Paramahansa Yogananda to conclude:

"After you have repaired your mental radio and calmly attuned to constructive vibrations, how may you use it to reach God? The right method of meditation is the way.

“By the power of concentration and meditation you can direct the inexhaustible power of your mind to accomplish what you desire and to guard every door against failure. All successful men and women devote much time to concentration. They are able to dive deeply into their minds and to find the pearls of right solution for the problems that confront them. If you learn to withdraw your attention from all objects of distraction and to place it on one object of concentration, you too will know how to attract at will whatever you need.

"Before embarking on important undertakings, sit quietly, calm your senses and thoughts, and meditate deeply. You will then be guided by the great creative power of Spirit. After that you should utilize all necessary material means to achieve your goal.

"The things you need in life are those that will help to fulfill your dominant purpose. Things you may want  but not need may lead you aside from that purpose. It is only by making everything serve your main objective that success is attained.”