Do Less.

“Put every effort into organizing your life, but remember that the ultimate organizer is Nature. Don’t try to steer the river. When Nature is most productive and creative, it does not work… it plays..” 
― Deepak Chopra

When I started teaching yoga, my Mumma got involved. It makes her feel good. I wouldn’t call her the ‘truth seeking’ type but something happened this week that makes me think we need to take the ‘seek’ out of the truth.

To give you some back ground. Mum’s a pocket rocket. When people think of her they think, energy; full of life; fun.

She was suffering from FOMO long before we coined that term for her. She recently retired from nursing but I remember as a kid she’d come home from night shift, sleep for a few hours then be up and playing tennis with her friends – not wanting to miss out.

An avid traveler, her pace is fast. I remember feeling anxious often times as a kid when she’d come home from a long shift at work. There I’d be after an afternoon of play on my BMX, relaxing indoors but there would be a sudden reaction by which I’d jump up and pretend I was busy when I heard her car drive up to the house.

I think everyone in the family had this reaction. Perhaps we didn’t want her to think we were slacking off in comparison to her hard work. Which is a strange thing to pick up as a child. Especially as I had a lot of hustle ahead of me.

She’s also very practical. She has two feet on the ground and although yoga is a good release for her body and reprieve for her tick-tocking mind, this has generally been the extent of her relaxation (aside from a nice feet-up-in-the-arvo watching the cricket or to do the crossword or, her favourite, an arvo glass or two of red on the verandah with her gang).

Anyway…

I had the most exquisite phone call from her this week.

I called her to tell her we’d be coming home next week a little earlier than expected which she thought was exciting. But more exciting was the fact that she’d spent some time down by the river one morning. She lives in a country town and had decided to ‘treat’ herself to a coffee and go sit down by the river.

As she was sitting by the river she decided to put on the ‘soft eyes’ technique that I’m always encouraging in class. She was sitting quietly with what one might call a half gaze and said all of a sudden (and these are her words) she said, “I experienced inner peace.”

Microphone drops.

This phrase is not in my mother’s vocabulary. Nor is it something I’d say in class. I guess it was just a completely organic experience that came to her from no effort, no goal, no trying. And ‘inner peace’ was what she experienced.

How cool is that?

I was so excited for her (and slightly jealous).

My learning?

Maybe in our seeking we try too hard.

Perhaps in our well intentioned spiritual pursuits, we’re so busy striving to be in a certain state that we forget the mystery of life has a playful way of getting us there, if only we’d relax and wait for it’s subtle and cheeky cues.

How about we try less?

Inactivity is not what it’s about. Laziness has nothing to do with it. It’s about being intentional but less attached to the outcome.

On our way to peace (or a new job, account, partner or whatever we really want), maybe we have to create a playful and curious condition. Maybe we have to get out of our own way.

Have you had a Kung Fu Panda moment like my Mother?

I’d love to hear. And I’d love to hear what else you want to read on my blog, see on my website in terms of product etc. Planning for an epic 2021 feels like stardust in my bones. I’m exciting.

KK x