The Worst Infidelity by Suz deMello

A couple of weeks ago we wrote of regret, of roads not taken. 

My missteps in life were chiefly due to my failure to know myself and be true to that knowledge.

And that's the worst infidelity.

I like to stay aware. Staying aware of one's surroundings is basic physical self-preservation. Staying aware of one's body, one's health, is also a part of basic physical self-preservation.

Staying aware of one's inner self is basic emotional self-preservation. Without that awareness, we risk allowing others to make decisions for us.

Most often, due to that lack of self-awareness, those choices are made unconsciously. So we wander a meandering path through life as opposed to striding toward a goal we've consciously selected. Maybe it's possible to be happy without self-direction, but I never found that to be the result.

How do I stay aware?

Daily yoga. In fact, I'm going on a yoga retreat in a couple of weeks. I hope it's more than a nice vacay in Puerto Vallarta. But hey, even if I don't achieve a new level of consciousness, I'll still have enjoyed a luxury villa on the beach for a week.

Image by Dennis Yang

Yoga means union, referring to the union between mind and body that's achieved through awareness. Most often that starts with awareness of the breath. We focus on that most basic of life functions and thus achieve union.

At least that's the theory. Distractions abound (see my post dated 22 Sept 2015). Even in my quiet little yoga room, the door is cracked so my anxious dog, a pound pooch, knows where I am and can slip in to get the hugs and kisses he needs to feel safe. I hear the TV my mom usually has tuned to MSNBC so she can scoff at the GOP clown car. 

But the breath and the possibility of union are always there, always available. Likewise, the freedom found with self-direction is always available.