Remember What Mindfulness Teaches Us
Namaste everyone,
It has been a while since my last post.
To be fully honest, I have been apprehensive about what to write about given so much has been happening around us in the last 6 months that it is hard to comprehend.
Perhaps like me, you have felt the weight of these trying times in the past day, the past week or even the past few months since the first wave of COVID-19 moved through our country.
Yet, there is an event that I experienced in these last 6 months which prompted me to write this post this morning.
The event that I experienced is one that I’ve never experienced really ever before in my life. It was an event that brought upon significant personal trauma and abuse into my personal and professional life. Although I would not wish this type of trauma or abuse on anyone, what is interesting to me is the timing of the event itself, because I sincerely believe that I would not have known it was trauma and abuse I was experiencing without being able to identify it through a conscious act of mindfulness.
What do I mean by a “ conscious act of mindfulness” you might ask?
You see, the type of trauma and abuse I was experiencing in my professional life was not necessarily overt, but rather very subtle at times. Over time, I accepted that this trauma/abuse was a regular “to be expected” occurrence in my day-to-day life as a member of the legal profession. In my mind’s eye, this was simply a “rite of passage” for any lawyer to have to experience in their professional development.
And yet, unbeknownst to me, there was something profoundly harmful that was occurring to me, to my mental health, that I was completely oblivious to (perhaps unconsciously choosing not to accept - in hindsight).
Now, for those who have followed my previous posts on my companion blog www.alexwyiu.com, in a previous post of mine when I began my journey in mindfulness and yoga teacher training, I wrote about the fact that I experienced an “aha” moment in my physical life (i.e. diagnosis of an irregular form of arrhythmia) which nudged me towards a “course correction” in my life’s path (dharma). That course correction led me to undertake the practice of yoga and mindfulness on a deeply intellectual and spiritual level - so much so that it inspired me to become a 200-hr Registered Yoga Teacher - one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences of my life.
I can say without hesitation that I am now moving through a state of recovery from the trauma and abuse I have suffered because of my conscious choice not to allow this type of harmful and destructive presence in my life. To be more specific, each of us has the capacity to recognize, accept, and then to choose how we wish to move through the personal obstacles that are placed in our lives. Do we wish to move through this life in doubt, fear or in pain? Or do we wish to move through this life in joy, peace and happiness? Very often, we create a story-line to convince ourselves of that which is convenient and easy. For too long, I chose the path of what was easy, and allowed for the trauma and abuse that I suffered to occur unabated.
I truly believe that every human being has the right to be treated with dignity, humanity, and respect. Anything less than this should not be countenanced and can cause significant harm to one’s mental health. I am beginning to restore my sense of wholeness as a person worthy and deserving of this basic level of respect and dignity. I do so with confidence in the knowledge that my mindfulness practice has and will continue offer me a sense of groundedness and inner peace in this present moment. As well, I am grateful to my colleagues, friends and family for helping me to remember that being treated with basic respect and dignity is non-negotiable.
As a parting note this morning, my prayer for you is that you remember each and every day that you are beautiful and powerful, that you possess unlimited potential and are worthy and deserving of unconditional love. May you always remember that the practice of mindfulness requires us at times to undertake a conscious act that protects the essence of our Soul, the inner realm of that which can never be taken away from us, a place which is unimpeachable, good and whole.
May you be blessed with abundant love, light and happiness. Always.
Namaste,
Alex
