just be it It’s about the work involved in establishing a dedicated practice to feelings of a bigger belonging through practices aimed at increasing feelings of compassion, gratitude and forgiveness

Finding Your ‘Practice’

Published on 31/12/08
by randy

There are two very basic laws of the universe.  What we put attention to grows stronger and what we don’t will grow weaker. The first is call the Law of Attraction and the second is called the Law of Entropy, otherwise known as the Second Law of Thermodynamics.  It’s really quite simple.  If we put energy to something we slow its deterioration; if we don’t apply it the loss of energy is faster.  We can look at this from a personal, family, community, national, or global perspective.  We could say that putting energy to slowed entropy is good stewardship.  From an ecological global perspective, we become more aware of our carbon footprint, expending less energy through conservation.  At a personal level, we become more and more aware about what works in the stewardship of the health of our body/mind.  The focus of this article is to focus on our personal ‘practice’ in slowing entropy of body/mind.

 

It’s now accepted that regular exercise, a moderate and healthy diet, and the avoidance of toxic consumption lead to slowed entropy.  For sure, we’ll all one day say good bye to these bodies.  Also, there’s never a guarantee that if we exercise good body/mind stewardship we’ll live longer.  Yet, our quality of life seems dramatically richer when we ‘practice’ those disciplines that work for slowed entropy.  Our bodies clearly manifest a different outward look when we mindlessly consume food and drugs.  As we learn more and more about the destructive effects of toxic foods we become more aware of our need to ‘practice’ with resolve.  Mindful living slows entropy and aids in disciplining us to the ‘practice’ of that which works.

 

What works for one may not work for another.  Yet, it seems universal that stress speeds entropy and present-minded living slows it.  Living in the present, we meet the moment in peace.  Living in stress, there’s a tension gap between where we are and where we want to be.  This gap often robs us from our appointment with life, creating conflict and dissatisfaction.  Mindful living must not be confused with lack of ‘doing’.  Paradoxically, the more aware we are, the more we participate, the more we put our energy to living, the slower our entropy.  Some have called this the ‘use it or lose it’ principle.  When we neglect the exercise of the body it speeds deterioration.  When we neglect exercise of the mind through rigid belief systems, we speed deterioration of cognitive function.  Mindful living commands openness, willingness to adventure into the mystery, and resolve to maintain our practice to increased awareness.

 

This increased awareness raises our gratitude for the precious moment that will never be again.  The Law of Entropy states that everything is in process of change.  Nothing stays the same and nothing disappears.  This law is in tension with the Law of Interconnectedness.  Everything affects everything and our awareness to this feeds our ease with the Law of Entropy.  When we mindfully care for our body/mind, we care for all.  When we neglect and abuse our body/mind, we speed the entropy of all.  Simply put, our resolve to increased awareness ‘heals’ and our lack of awareness ‘wounds’.  Our resolve to practice stewardship to body, family, community, nation and planet leads to longer living.  Our practice of numbed or distracted living leads to earlier deterioration.

 

A simple practice is to return to our breath. 

 

Breathing in, say ‘yes’ to the opportunity to participate in this life.

Breathing out, say ‘thank you’ for this gift and for the resolve to practice increased awareness.

 

Yoga is a healing practice.  There’s recognition that the body loses energy over time, but there’s also recognition we can slow this entropy through our practice.  Increased awareness from yoga provides the ‘felt’ sense of our interconnectedness…our joined state of being.  Some have referred to this felt sense of connection as love or compassion.  It’s definitely healing.  In contrast, our sense of separateness speeds entropy and dis-ease.  Yoga, meditation and other practices leading to increased awareness and mindful living are not easy.  They demand tremendous resolve and discipline.  Yet, the sense of peace, harmony, gratitude, and ease of living continue to feed our ‘practice’.  Knowing our practice heals body/mind, family, community, nation and planet is strong vitamin to the depth and strength of our yoga practice.

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