The Universe never ceases to amaze me. Things are always lining up. Is that correct?

Answer: Yes. That’s one of my beliefs that propels me through life – things are always lining up.

Another one is: There is always someone who will help me. All I have to do is ask the right person, or enough people. I only have to tell someone what I’m going through and somehow I will get the information I need or be led to the person or resource that I need.

Secret: I raised three children on these beliefs. (The times I needed affordable summer camp, and after-school care, and advice. And this and that. There’s a whole village out there willing to help.)

So last week, or the week before, I was reading an article by Mastin Kipp about how every relationship is an opportunity to grow spiritually.

Insert: This is another one of my beliefs – in every relationship, there is an opportunity to grow, lessons to learn, opportunities to heal past wounds, opportunities to love people for who they are sans ego.

Side note: I’ve grown so much in this past year, emotionally. And I’m learning to be more patient and less hasty. And definitely more empathetic.

Back to Mastin Kipp. I also follow him on Twitter and watch his videos occasionally. I bought his book: ‘dailylove Growing into Grace’ (I haven’t read through it but my initial thought was that it wasn’t what I expected) last week. Mastin credited Kundalini yoga with helping him feel grounded when he was off balance spiritually – and something else I can’t remember off the top of my head. So I thought, “hmm, I wonder if there’s a Kundalini yoga place in my neighborhood.” I googled it. Turned out, there’s a yoga center twenty minutes from my house! I’ve gone to two sessions and I intend to keep going back.

I’ve tried a few different types of yoga in the past, including Bikram – the class where the temperature is raised really high and you sweat til your clothes are drenched. To be fair, I only went once (and I could have gone 10 times with my Groupon deal). I won’t go too much into Kundalini since I’m a newbie and can’t explain the concepts, but what I like are the breathing exercises, the mantras, and the use of the gong, although holding the poses is challenging.

A while ago, I started a Pinterest board (“Meditation & Peace”) because I felt like being an empty nester is partly a great opportunity to refocus on myself and self-care, and spirituality and self awareness. What better way to do that than to meditate, and to consciously realign my energy? I’ve kind of spent the past 25 years just going and going – and now my children are grown.

I pinned images and articles, and read about chakras, and yoga, and meditation. Lo and behold, the yoga center near me offers a class (“Sound Healing: Chakra Crystal Bowl Meditation“) that focuses on this – clearing and realignment of energy centers.

I joined the class for the first time last night. And to be honest, I wound up laying between two people who were snoring! I nudged the guy to my right, and the woman to my left. (That’s a rule: you can nudge people if they start to snore too loud.) For a good part of the class, I was only thinking about how annoyed I was. And my toes were cold because I wasn’t wearing socks! And I was choking on the incense. And what are these high pitched sounds coming from these crystal bowls really doing?? The floor was hard despite the mat. And so on.

But then I decided to center my thoughts. “I release everything that no longer serves me. I release doubt. I release fear. I release possessiveness. I release worry. I embrace love. I embrace peace. I embrace my gifts. I embrace creativity. I am a creative being. I am light. I am love. I am a part of the all and the all is a part of me.” And you get the picture. I felt more relaxed. I even pictured myself basking in the sun on a beautiful beach (one of my absolute favorite places to be).

I’m gonna go back this Friday evening and lay on a different side of the room. Near the bowl that’s specific to my ‘root chakra.’ I’ll wear thick socks and looser pants.

Oh, the overall message for the class based on the collective consciousness in the room was to “practice non-attachment. Let of go expectations and what Was. Accept what is Now and embrace Change. You cannot grow without change.” I thought that was powerful. I release the need to control outcomes. The Universe knows better than I do. Correct?

We become what we believe.

Categories: Personal Stories

Tags: Bikram Yoga, Chakra Crystal Bowl Meditation, Chakras, Emotional intimacy, Healing, Inspiration, Kundalini Yoga, Life Change, Mastin Kipp, Meditation, Sprituality, Yoga