Real change

For the one, practising yoga, who wants the real change to happen just doing the asanas is not enough. Asanas are good – they help to distribute energy and align the body. But the real changes come with the redirecting of the inner currents of thoughts, feelings and emotions. For that our main tools are – self-observation, self-inquiry and awareness. The ability to see clearly the elements of our inner world – what is happening inside, what reactions occur. To see and understand the parts of ourselves, involved in a challenging situation.

When the elements of our inner world will be seen and understood, when the pain and previously avoided feelings will be allowed in awareness, we will be able to start the process of gradual redirection of the inner currents.

If in the situation of a strong trigger and reaction, we will be able to discharge the emotional charge and access the deeper pain that is behind it, also see and realize that it is the same pain from the past – that it is the wounded child reacting to the certain stimuli – we can start to disidentify with this drama and changing the reaction in the present.

One obstacle in the process of self-observation is avoidance and denial – mechanism, that tries not to see one’s own negativity – using the subtle filtration of it, allowing some “bright”, already accepted moments to come forth, but avoiding seeing more subtle and unpleasant for the ego aspects. Another – Idealized self – criticizing, diminishing self-worth, taking us out from the present to the future, internally commanding, that we need “to change as fast as possible”, to “work things out”, “eliminate from our system” aspects that have been found, or we will stay in our “defective” state forever. Both of this mechanisms prevent the proper work to happen.
Real self-observation – to look straight and with courage, trying to see any shades of inner tendencies and reactions, but also with the curiosity, interest and acceptance – honestly and firmly admitting them, but not going after the impulses of perfectionism and inner self-punishment. In parallel with that to work on increasing the inner light – through the practices and actions revealing our Higher self. Stronger will be the connection with the Higher self and the best that is there in ourselves – less fear we will have to look straight at our Lower self and the worst that is in ourselves – more there will be the real possibility for the transformation to happen.