Serenity Now

Expand… and suddenly you are embracing it ALL.

I can remember when I was young, in my parent’s bedroom, hanging in a frame over the dresser mirror, was a prayer:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
…and the wisdom to know the difference.

I had read it many times over during our years in that house, realizing, even at a young age, the power of those words and the usefulness in memorizing them. Although, I haven’t lived it verbatim everyday, the Serenity Prayer has served as a reminder throughout my life how much time we can spend being stuck, mired in our own ideas of how things are “supposed” to be, consistently leaving us open for disappointment.

A dear friend and yoga teacher, recently pointed out the benefits of “the middle way”- as the Buddhists call it - resides in the calm or contented states of being. In other words, not attaching to only joy or fighting so hard to avoid misery and pain. We must live with both in the world. Therefore, the best thing we can practice is expanding within the space between. Therein lie the serenity, courage and wisdom of complete acceptance of whatever may come.

Thank you, Dejisan, for that powerful reminder!

Peace.