JoyFull Living by Louise Lavergne – Life and the Art of Impermanence

The first time I wrote about this subject was in the October issue of 2008.  It is still the most enduring topic with clients and one of the most important keys to living a Joy-Full life.  Change or Impermanence is the nature of the human condition and is very apparent in the fall. Every moment of life is filled with choice of how we cope with any situation: to embrace or resist. As you embrace and accept “what is,” you are in harmony with the moment and can flow with life.

The impermanence of life, the highs and the lows, are what make our lives vibrant and meaningful. Yet we usually want to keep things from changing, resisting it at the cost of our health and well-being.  This can be a great source of angst in our lives.  Yoga offers us wonderful tools to assist us in embracing change with grace as it helps bring us back to the present moment. Our body gives us a great opportunity to practice embracing change, since that is where we experience inevitable change and where we resist it the most. We get mad at our knees, feet etc. for not performing the way “they used to.”  A Yoga practice can assist us in establishing a new dialogue with our body that is loving and supportive. Here are a few things you can try:

  1. Start by rubbing your knees, take a moment to slow down the breath as you inhale deeply into the belly and exhale completely by pulling the belly in.
  2. Allow yourself to feel whatever feeling is present. As you accept what you are feeling within the moment, the energy in your body can restore a healthy flow. You can begin to move through the emotions and feel a greater state of expansion as it reduces the tension in your body.
  3. Take as many deep yogic breaths as you need to re-connect with the present moment. Don’t get into the story of the event or the feeling(s). Just BE…. Here… Now. The breath is a powerful way to communicate with our nervous system and our body.  It offers us the opportunity to process life from a conscious state being.
  4. Whenever you become aware of resistance – take a pause – breathe into your belly and relax. Stand up (or sitting in a chair); bend down to touch your toes (or simply wave at your toes.) Breathe! Come back up slowly. This helps to bring the circulation into your brain to see things with a fresh, rejuvenated mind.

Give yourself time and remember that life is a journey not a destination. We can learn from wine, which starts out as happy grapes on the vine and through a series of change is transformed into wine. What can make it better after you pour it?  Taking time for it (and you) to breathe.

Of course it only works if you “do it.”  The more you practice, the easier it becomes and the greater the benefits. Breathe-in gratitude- Live in-Joy.  © Louise Lavergne 2001-2012

 www.JoyFull-yoga.com and www.JoyFull-living.com 541-899-0707 Louise is a life coach, an international inspirational speaker, author, creator of JoyFull Yoga and JoyFull living coaching. She owns JoyFull Yoga LLC in Jacksonville where she offers private sessions and group classes. Email us at info@joyfull-yoga.com.