“The capacity to be flexible
is the true meaning of Intelligence.”
Yogi Bhajan
We’ve all heard that “Change is the one constant in life.” Yet this change is, for many, a primary cause of stress. We can transform our reaction to change by adding a little flexibility and a healthy dose of trust, which combined can really turn things around. Perhaps not how you had envisioned them exactly, but throughout this process of trusting, letting go of expectations and assumptions, there is a lesson well worth learning; a blessing well worth receiving. If we can trust all this change, life becomes a truly interesting play to witness—and participate in.
From little things like a child getting sick, or your car breaking down, to larger things like losing your job, to really big changes like a surprise double blue lines on a pregnancy test, or unexpected loss of a loved one. These unplanned events are now a direct part of your life and learning to be flexible can help you quickly assimilate and “go with the flow.”
When my husband lost his job—one we thought was very secure—a host of questions came up: Will we find a job in time? Will we be able to sell our house? Where will we end up? Will we have to leave the state? What about a new school for our daughter? Can the marriage handle this kind of stress? None of these questions really had an answer. In fact, they seemed unanswerable.
Then we decided to find a new question; one that answered all of the other questions:
“Do we have the unwavering belief that we are covered no matter what?”
This deep belief of being covered allows you to relax, and can help you feel somewhat okay about whatever is going on, and brings you in touch with a larger picture at play.
We also realized that we had been given a fantastic opportunity. It’s one thing to say you have that kind of trust while everything’s going well, but another thing entirely when you get to put it to the test. Sometimes we may think that “going with the flow” means you let it all be and just sit and wait for something to happen. This holds some truth, but you also must be willing to take action. And we did. We clarified what we wanted, set our intentions, then said: “The rest is up to you, God. I’ve done my part, and now you can do Yours!”
We only control so much of our lives and it’s those unknown factors that play a huge role in fitting all the parts of our destiny together. Trusting this process was the hardest part of it all for me: being comfortable with being uncomfortable, with not knowing what will happen, and at the same time trusting this unknown completely.
Things fell into place in ways I could have never foreseen. Once you take action, once you trust, once you truly surrender, the Unknown (or God or Universe or whatever you choose to call it) will deliver.
Even in situations where it seems like things aren’t working out, in time, the blessings will become apparent. There is always some kind of lesson we can learn if we are willing to see it, and some perfect message to be found if we listen carefully enough. I’m sure that most can attest that the most challenging experiences in our life also gave us the most strength. I know this is true for me. And I’m very grateful for them—especially those that ground me to the bone and were as heart-wrenching as could be—they made me who I am today.
So here’s to you: The woman, man, and child who welcomes change with open hands, has a flexible mind, and stands in the middle of the Universe with a heart full of trust! What a wonderful sight that is indeed!
Blessings to you and your loved ones.
Siridyal was born into a family of Yogis. Her mother, a Yoga Teacher and Healer herself, taught her the importance of a practice. In 1999, she moved to New Mexico to study with Yogi Bhajan, who helped deepen her understanding and inspired her to embrace Yoga as a lifestyle. In addition to enjoying life with her two beautiful children and supportive husband, Siridyal gives healing treatments and Yogic counseling sessions and prenatal massages from her office in Santa Monica, CA. Her motto: “Keep up and you will be kept up!”. For more on Siridyal, please visit her WEBSITE.
