Hope

[image courtesy of Unsplash.com]

Hope is the knowledge, the knowing, that things will bet better. 

Before yoga I had many hopeless moments. When hardship moved in I felt isolated and suffered painful bouts of depression. Yoga teaches me how to open, connect to my breath, and surrender. In this more expansive state I can connect to a bigger energy; a healing power; a healing intelligence that is greater than me.

Yoga gives me a powerful appreciation for life, even when my physiology seems to be rejecting it.

When the depressed mind moves in, the mind’s natural negativity bias becomes even more powerful. By cultivating gratitude and looking for the beauty and goodness in life, my thinking becomes more hopeful. By engaging with my sangha, making regular heart connections in uplifting community, in the collective power of life affirming attitudes, teachings, and practices, I heal.

Hope is quality of the Space or Sky element. Sky is spacious, open, and vast. Sky represents freedom and connects you to grace. Sky invites you to think thoughts that widen your perspective, a KEY practice in cultivating a powerful TRUST and HOPE in the goodness in life.

“Hope is turning towards life. Turning away leads to despair and depression.”

~Desmond Tutu & the Dalai Lama

Surrender, NOT as collapse or withdrawal, but a clear acceptance of reality, a YES (!) to what is. Surrender plus gratitude and loving connection with others are the building blocks for a deep knowledge of hope and the capacity to live a hopeful life.

Hope is a mindset, cultivated in practice, that expands into a powerful emotion of healing and resilience. Hope is NOT a wish. It is a belief, cultivated and felt in your body mind. When you are hopeful, you affirm to yourself that life “has your back.” Hope is an attitude of positive affirmation and of looking for the good, the beauty, the Śrī, but NOT at the expense of your pain, guilt or fear. Sky invites you to make space for all of your feelings. When you embody Sky element you can hold the paradox of both light and dark; pain and joy; and

hope gives you the will and the way to overcome life’s obstacles leaving you trustful, determined, optimistic, and confident.

When you open to sky and connect to the bigger energy, hope opens the door to your heart where you see your true nature that is JOY and your recognition of this in your heart and in all hearts is the highest purpose of the practice of yoga.

Practices for Cultivating Hope

• • Gratitude practice: Pay attention to what is going well in your experience and notice the felt sense of gratitude. Remind yourself of what is going well in the world!
  • Remember: the paradox is always at play. There is no “good” without “bad.” Can you make space in yourself for this reality? Use mindfulness, meditation, and self inquiry practices like this one to create inner groundedness and a clear view of reality. Widen your perspective! Gaze at the sky, attune to your heart…
  • Resource in Community: join a class, deepen connections with friends and family, identify those whose presence nourishes you.
  • Surrender: Make space for feeling, no matter how difficult. In the digestion of life’s experiences you create room in you for aligning with your values so you can take appropriate…
  • …Action! Take small steps. Take care of yourself first. Your family and community are next. If you are even more well resourced, consider taking more national or global actions. Do not overlook the small steps!! Remember.

Emotion moves you where you want to go in life. When you cultivate the bright qualities of hope you are empowered with a fierce will and the ways to overcome life’s challenges.

~Joann Engelberth

Seeking more ease in the uncertainty of living life? Join me for a class, workshop, or private sessions. If you would like to receive these notes in your inbox with free exercises and practices sign up for my newsletter HERE!

It is with imperfect humility that I share these yoga teachings and offer my most sincere gratitude to my teachers; my Guru; her teachers; the lineage of teachers; ṛṣis; yogīs; yoginīs; and sages who have so generously shared this vidyā (wisdom teachings) with us for our great benefit. It is truly a great gift. Śrī Mātre Namaḥ! (Blessings to the auspicious Mother, Devī)!

Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.