 |
A year ago I began dharma
lessons with Tracy, and the anniversary prompted me to think about where I’ve
been and where I’m going, and to share it with my yoga friends….
What would a life look like if
yoga philosophy and teachings were actively applied to it? What would my life look like? What would happen if I expanded my yoga
practice to look seriously at what it offered as a guide to a more mindful way
of approaching each day? Was it really possible to view life differently, and
did I want to?
These questions and many others
like them led me to begin taking dharma lessons with Tracy. Loosely defined, Dharma is your life’s
path, how you live your life responsibly, knowing and respecting your authentic
self. Each person’s dharmic path is different. Dharma lessons have provided me an opportunity to examine my
beliefs, fears, and actions/reactions, and to open my mind and heart to other
ways of seeing myself and the world.
The lessons encourage me to be mindful and present, to be guided by
ahimsa (nonviolence toward all sentient beings), to reduce suffering.
Each session is structured
around a question or a specific yogic concept. Lessons have ranged from exploring what is my authentic
self, to reducing the power fear has over my life (keeps me from being my
authentic self and much more), to living more fully in the present, to
examining the yamas and niyamas such as ahimsa (nonviolence), santosa
(contentment), aparigraha (non-hoarding) and how they relate to daily
situations.
We continue with a topic until
it seems time to move on to the next topic, and each one acts as a building
block for what comes next. As you
might expect, the most difficult thing is to truly absorb and live by what I’ve
learned. There are moments of
great clarity when my actions are focused and positive and increase my
wellbeing. And there are times
when it seems like I’m back at square one and haven’t moved forward at
all. Each time that happens I look
at where I came from and know I have
moved forward, and also know that there’s still more work ahead.
Tracy has been incredibly
helpful in this process. She is
supportive and gentle, and also deeply and keenly probing. She blends her knowledge of yoga
philosophy with practical applications that encourage me to incorporate the
teachings into my daily life.
Tracy’s truths and my truths are
not always the same, and that is fine because it makes me question deeply
whatever we’re working on.
Sometimes I realize my ‘truths’ are old truths and not who I am now. Other times I hold on to my truths (at
least for right now!) and Tracy respects that. Probably the most important aspect of taking dharma lessons
with Tracy is that I trust her, and know that wherever the lessons take me, it
will be in a safe and supportive environment.
It has been an intense year of
self-study and discovery, some of it joyful and liberating, some of it
difficult and painful. There have
been laughter and tears, doubts and breakthroughs, hard work and contentment. It is a journey I’m thankful I began
and am grateful to continue - and I’m eager to share if anyone would like to
know more about the experience.
