Acceptance Can Turn Obstacles Into Inspiratio

January 28, 2013
Katherine Austin Wooley

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By Allison Stuart Kaplan

A month ago, a student in my yoga class requested to speak with me. "Allison, you are so strong", she said. "Yet, I sense you've had many challenges in your life. Where does your strength and happiness come from?"

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Albert Einstein

I've been moved to contemplate this question from the moment she asked. Now, I'm  ready to answer.

The peaceful warrior. When I was young, I had so much energy that it was spewing out from my pores. I was a fighter leading my own resistance; angry, strong, fiercely passionate, competitive, obstinate, battling and resisting to exhaustion. My inherent strength, passion and energy were an incredible blessing and a gift, but I had no idea how to use it. This iron-clad, sword-wielding warrior eventually grew weary and tired, even sick. All Wars end and there are no victors. Constant fighting with ourselves and others runs our well of energy dry. Nothing flows and there is no joy.

I sought help to make sense of my past and present – answering the "why's and how's". Practicing and learning to harness my energy in and out of my heart was simultaneously painful and liberating. Doing my soul work and learning to see the obstacles in my life as an inspiration to grow and improve has brought me peace and contentment. I'm stronger than ever before.

"Accept every moment as if you chose it. Accept then act. Don't work against it, work with it." Eckart Tolle

Acceptance.  I came across this enlightening quote about acceptance when I first read "The Power of Now". But Eckart Tolle himself did not teach me about acceptance. I began consciously practicing acceptance on my yoga mat. Practice, practice, practice. Finally, I had my ah ha! moment. Somewhere inside of me a light switched on and illuminated a part of my soul that was, until that moment, obscured by my own turbulence. I have finally learned to slow down long enough to feel my sensations in the present moment; accept then act. No more fighting, only acceptance.

You Are Enough. "We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light. "~Mary Dunbar

Acceptance has taught me that I am indeed enough, exactly as I am. I know and accept who I am, my strengths and my weaknesses. I'm grateful for weakness as it gives me something to work on. Hard work and a good challenge are an inspiration. Fifteen years ago I would never have believed my own words; but to my great advantage I have learned otherwise. Thank goodness for age, experience , the guidance of others, yoga, and most importantly, my willingness to see and feel things differently.

Know that YOU have the Power to de-activate (your) history's hold on present conditions. YOU have the Power to release all that now burdens you, all that now obscures your perception, all that now obstructs your path. YOU have the POWER to create, from the LOVE within you, your heart's desires.

Power. We do not have to be at the effect of those things we hold on to. We all have a history, but it is just that…history. We have the power within us, simply by making the decision, to let go of the burdens and obstructions that keep us from moving forward in freedom. The power of love and wisdom is far stronger than anything else. If we clear our sacred space, and fill it with acceptance and our own love and wisdom, we can overcome anything and make our lives, and the lives of others, and thus the world, a better place.

Just for 5 minutes now….accept, let the obstacles go. Breathe….and believe in your own Personal Power!

Remember, we are often the obstacle in our life; not everyone and everything else in it. You are your situation; if you don't like it, allow change to happen. Be inspired by the challenge to move yourself out of your own way. Then, you too will know the way of a peaceful warrior.

Namaste

Always love,  Allison

This blog was first published on January 24th at ASKInYourFace.com. 

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