In today’s info-dense world, there is no small number of options for you to read, so I’m thrilled you’ve found yourself here. Welcome! I anticipate Perfect Peace Yoga to be a venue for many-a-wild-thing including: spirituality and yoga, asana tips, considerations on life as a whole and as a working mom, freedom and happiness, random notions and other as it arises. This is a lifestyle site with tips and anecdotes for increasing our peace.
The reason this venture is titled Perfect Peace Yoga derives from the Bible verse: “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in You” – Isaiah 26:3. Perfect Peace seems like a bit of a tall promise, but it is an amazing depiction of the bhakti yoga essence.
Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of devotion. Often this form of practice is expressed via chanting, kirtan and other modes of love expressed for the Lord. The main premise of bhakti can be summarized with a two-way street metaphor. We offer up our praise because we are not in this experience alone. We reach from our heart and finding love for our Creator, we run to God. God feels our grasp and loving us unconditionally runs towards us as well. No one has to go the distance themselves. On the two street of devotion, me (and you) and God meet each other half-way.
Perfect Peace is that half-way point; that meeting of you and God. It requires effort from you: a mind kept steadfast on the Lord. And the grace we receive for our efforts is that the Lord reaches back and grants us peace. We are given peace not by problems taking their leave, but rather by experiencing calm amidst the chaos; peace perfected from within the storm.
I write about this topic because I am a peace seeker, too often living in the throes of chaos and worry. Bitter chaps Worry and Chaos have over time become signs that I am not keeping my end of this bhakti bargain. When I feel worry (and am able to step out of it for a moment), I can recognize where my mind is not: on God.
This recognition grounds me to where I should be: doing my part to obtain peace, which is maintaining a steady mind. I can offer up a prayer of gratitude, a petition for help, a praise for my blessings and immediately feel more at ease. Viola! The source to peace. Of course, being human I will quickly fluctuate out of this state and morph back into old, less tranquil habits. So the process begins anew each day, several times a day.
It is a Perfect Peace Practice.
I’ll close this first entry with a quote from Yogi Bhajan, “If you want to learn something, read about it. If you want to understand something, write about it. If you want to master something, teach it.” I crave more peace in my life, in our home, on this planet. So, I will do my best to establish peace by teaching myself and others the lessons I’m learning through this yoga practice. I hope you will join me on the journey.