Turning Intention into Action

The universe tests you when an intention is set. I picture the Divine looking down at me with a fun, indulgent smile, eyebrows raised, issuing me the wordless challenge, “Do you really mean this intention, or is it like the 10 pounds you keep telling me you want to lose?”

And then, just because she likes playing the game, the Divine sets the perfect stage, testing the importance of those intentions. The rules of the game are simple: take action consistent with the intention and you win. Be inconsistent and the game’s over–that intention is not really important and results don’t manifest (hence those pesky 10 pounds remain).

When I set my intentions in October, I had no idea how they would be tested. Following one of my intentions, I registered for a 9-day yoga teachers program at Kripalu Center, where I work as a consultant. 

I drove two hours on the day of my program, unpacked my bags, and prepared for the event. Just before it started, I met with my new boss (the previous boss had just been laid-off a week ago along with about 60 other employees in an effort by Kripalu to manage the economic downturn.) Turns out there were more cuts to be made, and I was one of them. 

I packed my bags back into the car and drove the two hours home.   

I did a lot of thinking during that ride. I realized I had just made a decision not to do yoga because of finances. Then I had an even more disturbing thought: perhaps there are people in my own yoga community in central Massachusetts who are staying away from the classes I teach because of money worries.

People everywhere are worried sick about the economy.  

 

Yoga is needed most when worry is high. During uncertain times the certainty of your practice sustains. 

 

This economy brings lots of unknowns. But one thing I know for certain–I want you in yoga class and will not accept lack of money as an excuse to stay away.

 

The idea of “seva seats” came came to me during the ride home. In Sanskrit, the language of yoga, seva means service. Seva is serving others. In service to our central Massachusetts yoga community, I will put a certain number of free 6-class yoga cards aside each and every month as seva seats.

 

If you need to make use of a seva seat, simply email me with the subject “seva seat needed” (you don’t have to explain or justify your need). If I have seats available, I’ll give you a 6-class card right away. If not, I’ll put you on the seva seat list and will call you as soon as a seva spot opens.

 

Along with these in-person seva seats, I’m also creating online, virtual yoga classes on this site that has unlimited space (unlike our little yoga studio in Barre) so that many more can have free yoga. Look for much more to come as I turn my attention from my now-absent consulting work to building a site where you can practice yoga without the mental tug-of-war of balancing the family budget.

 

Yoga is the remedy for worry in these tough economic times.OK, Divine, game’s on.