Commitment, Freedom from Chaos
Have you ever burned to know your purpose? To serve our family planet? To be the best person you can be? At the same moment, do you sometimes feel lost inside all the choices, all the options, the paths?
This Earth is ripe for transformation. The monks are coming down from the mountains and the fairies are landing. Wisdom is being shared, and we are yearning and learning!
Sages talk of the ages. Yogi Bhajan, founder of Kundalini yoga and the Yogi Tea guy, taught that we are in the very tender transformation time from the Piscean age to the Aquarian Age. The Piscean age was characterized by power struggles, the quest for hidden knowledge, and proving ourselves. The Aquarian age is characterized by equality, free information, and demonstrative wisdom through right action and right speech. These shifts are coming about in a quickening flurry.
What is needed to stay in the flow in this wild ride of transformation? How do we stay balanced, grounded, and at peace? The answer is commitment.
WHAT IS COMMITMENT?
The dictionary defines commitment as “the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself” and “engagement; involvement.” When we find ourselves spinning in the whirlpool of the quickening of the ages, we can put our foot down on the ground by engaging in our world and being involved.
A wise friend once told me, “Jaya, you are interested in so many things, and never really choose any of them. Don’t you know that you can just start something and the path will unfold? It might end up being a life-long passion, or you might realize it’s not for you, but it gets the ball rolling and will set you on course and lead you to the next step.”
I had been overwhelmed by all the choices and options in my life and was suffering from stagnated inertia and creativity because of my fear of choosing the wrong option! As we know, acting (or not acting) from a place of fear leads us nowhere.
WHAT IS FREEDOM?
How are we truly free? Is it freedom to know that you can do whatever you want whenever you want to do it? In the past, I spent many years as a fun-loving young gypsy traveller woman, in the flow and open to all the new adventures of life. I would wander from place to place searching out my place in the world. I have had many friends on this path also. As we mature into our true self-knowingness, many of us are coming to the same conclusion. “Hey, all this freedom can be exhausting! Maybe we should plant some roots, make some choices and water some seeds!”
The world is crying out for our gifts. How and where do we start? The great mystic poet Rumi says, “Submit to a daily practice. Your loyalty to that is a ring on the door. Keep knocking, and the joy inside will eventually open an window and look out to see who’s there.” Committing to something is sending your vote out to the Universe, or to God. You are saying, “Ok God, I’m ready. Here’s my intention, here’s what I’m gonna do.”
The reply comes back, “I’ll believe you’re ready when you show me.” Then through our beautiful self-discipline, joy-filled surrender, self love and trust, we just do it! We become joyful plants with our roots deep in the earth and our branches dancing in the wind. This is true freedom.
THE POWER OF COMMITMENT
I have done many cleanses to regain my health. It’s amazing how temptation comes up in my everyday life to eat things that I know aren’t the best ever. Amazingly though, when I’m cleansing, I have no problem. It’s like I just flip some commitment switch inside. It creates a super power I never knew I had. “I am eating all blended foods this week and that’s that. I’m fasting. I’m going to drink this cup of oil.” Voila! Poof! Done! The intention created through true commitment is one of the most powerful manifestation magnets imaginable.
Recently I recommitted myself to my Kundalini yoga practice. I took the training 5 years ago, when I was a much different person. They gave us crazy challenges like meditating for 31 minutes with a chant each day for 40 days! “Well”, my ego said, I don’t need to do that! I will get what I need out of this training without doing all that ridiculousness!” I didn’t even consider it.
So here I go, I’m on the way to completing a 40 day meditation, and committing to my path as a teacher. This blog is another step. Thanks for being a part of my own path of commitment, transformation, and freedom! I am already experiencing life transformation as the old snake skin layers of false identity fall off. At first the changes were subtle, but as more time of commitment passes, the change is undeniable. My confidence has sky-rocketed with this renewed sense of “I can do it!”Now, 5 years later, I am in my second teacher training. After non-stop searching for self love, health, and abundance, I am finally ready to surrender to a higher teaching. I am allowing my higher self to step in and say, “you know, I think I’ll give this a chance. Maybe this is the one thing I haven’t tried yet. Maybe someone up there who made me knows better than me. Maybe I was sent this teaching for a reason. Maybe I should try a little trust.”
YOUR OPPORTUNITY
Here is a gift, should you choose to receive it. I invite you to trust yourself and take on a 40 day commitment. Choose something you have received persistent messages and intuitions about in the past, but haven’t yet made a regular practice. It takes 40 days to change a habit. The scriptures around the world have endless references to 40 day practices.*
Maybe you will commit to looking at yourself in the mirror 5 times a day and saying, “I love you”, how about a green smoothie every day, or doing that cleanse you’ve been talking about for years? How would it feel to wake up and just sit quietly each morning focusing on your breath for 11 minutes and listening to your higher guidance? Hey, how about upping the ante on your physical fitness everyday for 40 days? You could dance every day, trade massage with your honey or massage yourself daily. Creative expression, driving the speed limit, fasting from complaints, fasting from solid foods, eating organic, giving up gluten, letting go of stimulants, or fasting from the TV or Facebook. (ok, I know that’s practically impossible for some of us! We could set a limit, say 10 minutes of personal time online a day.)
These are just a few ideas. Pick something that is easy enough to be doable for you so that you can experience the joy of success. Also, it should give you a nice challenge to do it every day, no matter what. Pick something you might want to continue on with for a long time, maybe the rest of your life. If you miss a day, that’s fine, just start over on day one the next day. Any time you’re awake during the day is good, and a regular time can build more stability.
Commitment is the key for integrating this transition from the Piscean age to the Aquarian age. When we have a regular, daily practice, we can better face the world. When we have made a commitment to ourselves and followed through, we build self confidence and character. We find deep joy and peace through letting go of trying to “figure it out” and easing into committing to something for now. Our eyes begin to shine in a new way and people are drawn to the depths of the wisdom found there. Then we truly open up the window to our true identity. Sat Nam****
Thank you for reading and giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on this great path of commitment!
With Love and Gratitude,
Jaya Sat Kriya
a.k.a. Jaya Love
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40_(number)#In_religion
~Article originally written in the expert blog section for Philip McCluskey’s Loving Raw website.
ORIGINAL COMMENTS ON THE JAYALOVE WEBSITE:
I truly salute you! I believe that what you are doing is really beautiful and believe that we are kindred spirits. We both want love, peace and healing for a weary planet.
Thanks so much for your spiritual presence on the web and in the world! I also believe in the 40 day disciplines. I am in the middle of one right now. Yay!
Come visit my world sometime, too.
Namaste’
Deena