Sharanam, finding refuge in God and Yoga

For the last 30 days, I committed to follow my yogi assignments daily (The Yogi Assignment), patiently and thoroughly. I followed a vegetarian diet (ok, proud Fishetarian) and I would tell you more about it later, I meditated at least 10mins in silence every morning about my assignment, practiced yoga almost everyday and tried finding a contemporary way to practice each task during my day. Even though an assignment is given daily, there are all connected so I tried practicing as many as I could remember during my day.

The last few days were the most challenging, though, because I was on the road for almost 10 days, and it’s easier to get derailed. Interestingly, the assignments of those days were clearly revealed to me:

One day was about Defining Abundance, and I was honored with my office’s recognition for being a leader from within and into the community through yoga, my heart was so humbled and full that I fully understood abundance. Grateful to God and Yoga for this.

Another day was about Let Go and Let God where ‘no planning’ was the assignment. This was one of the toughest days (I’m a planner/control freak?) but weather forced some changes so I made peace with accepting whatever outcome the trip would bring, and it was super fun trip. Then the task was about finding joy despite the obstacles, I woke up to a very stressful situation with the neighbors followed by a terrorist attack attempt in the city I was followed by a horrible headache, I found so much joy on my way to the airport finding no traffic (a rare thing in NYC) and being able to hop on an earlier flight just minutes before its departure to return home safe! Thanks God for keeping me safe.

Then, other assignment was about being strong, which most time I’d take proud on and say ‘I’m ridiculously strong’, but I was exhausted from the traveling and vulnerable, so being strong was to cancel my yoga class and go straight home to rest and deal with the garbage disposal that got stuck right before I left, with whatever strength was left in my brain and arms I fixed the damn thing! Grateful for Yoga for making strong when I feel weak.

Today I completed my last assignment Sharanam, seeking refuge. The book explained that there’s not permanent happiness in the material world and that everything is temporary, therefore the need to find divine shelter. She also mentioned that the only real place to seek refuge is in the center of you heart and through complete surrender. The assignment was truly to connect with God through OM and surrender your will to him.

What a wonderful realization, God and Yoga have been my shelter all this time, if I could only sit in silence and listen…. After the meditation this morning I got to say I had a fantastic day of progress towards a dream. I put my intention to God and I got almost immediate response.

Even though my assignments are done right on time for festivities, family hugs and any kind of our typical food, Im sure I will miss having something to foucs on each day. But I’m committed to find that daily purpose, to live more awake, more aware, and to revisit and continue my assignments as part of my daily life.

Much Love!