As we were driving to yoga on Saturday morning, my friend and I were discussing her newly broken relationship and feelings. She had spent the night restless and having felt shock and sadness to this point, anger was beginning to surface. There was a certain relief along with enormous frustration as she expressed herself. Not surprising and all very normal in dealing with grief.
I really dislike people I love being so unhappy, it's awful. But when it comes to feelings there is no magic wand. All you can do is offer love, comfort and company. Of course I reminded her that this too shall pass, but it's not all that helpful when the pain is fresh.
We arrived to Love Yoga in Montauk which we both love (great name) for our first yoga session of our August Montauk house rental. The teacher Heather Lillieston is a favorite and the room was packed. She sat up the front with her Harmonium and started singing a song. The song was Loka Samastar Sukhino Bhavantu. A song regularly played or sung within yoga classes. As you do at yoga, we joined her once we picked up the words and the rythm.
After that she told us a story. It went something like this. The meaning of the song we'd been singing is 'may all beings be happy', it's about wishing every single being to be well. She explained how some years ago she was devestated after a bad break up. In pain, she wanted to hurt the guy in question. In fact she said she would have done anything to see him as unhappy as she felt (although what seemed to happen was he was totally fine and immediately dating other peple). In dealing with all of her emotions, she kept coming back to this song. As her story goes, she sang it so often, she started to feel it. In time, she was able to genuinely set the pain free and even hope that he was happy.
I felt like she was talking to my friend, although I must admit her words had a big impact on me too. I actually found my stomach which had been slightly churning become clear and calm. It reminded me once again to see all things through a lens of love. It's not always easy, but it's proving to be right. She talked about yogi's being able to relax, to flow and to accept change. To really be alive. Because the opposite is to become rigid, stuck and frail.......that's quite the reverse of life. Such wise words.
I've said it before, but at the end of the day, it's your own responsibility to be happy. It takes a lot of growth and continuing personal development. Self awareness too. I for one, take this responsibility seriously. But just as important is the desire for ALL beings to be happy. I have to say in doing so, I think you will be happier too.
