Opening to GRACE

Opening to grace reminds me of the 3rd step in 12 step recovery programs:"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God". For me this is understanding that things are not always going to go the way I have planned, and instead of fighting against what is in reality happening or getting sad and angry at the situation. Opening to Grace and turning it over to my higher power is realizing that I am not in control. And in fact trying to control it actually creates more pain for my self and possibly others.

Here are two examples that have happened this week:

• Tyler and I are in the market to buy our first home in SLC, UT. We found a house we really love and we put an offer on it. It is not a traditionally sell. Instead there will be a live auction next Monday. It is really up the air weather we will get it or not. We really want this house and are taking every step to get it. I am also trying to turn it over and trust that if we do not get it, it was meant to be. I trust if we don't get it, we will find another home that is right for us.
• This has been a really hard week in the Anusara Community with accusations pointed at John Friend and with several certified teachers resigning that licence. Again I have had this future plan that involves Anusara and I did not plan on this current situation. I so wish I could control everything and everyone, however that is not the case. I have to practice the first principle of Anusara Yoga which is OPEN TO GRACE. Open implies the opposite of contract, and when I first started reading the letters of resignation from some of my favorite teachers contract is what my mind, body, and heart did. But opening means to take in and feel, and to move through the feeling spectrum.  I really don't want to hold all this fear, anxiety, confusion, anger, and sadness. The cool thing is opening up to grace lets me give all that stuff to Grace/God/Higher power. My shoulders get lighter, which lets me open up even more. When you open something the contents are realized. So opening to grace is like opening the pandora box, all the fears and stuff you are willing to let go of get realized. Until I forget and all those feelings come back and then I have to remind myself to open to grace again. I love that this is the first principle. Because I forget about it so many times in a yoga class for example but since its the first pricinple i get to keep reminding myself to do it, over and over. I really do have faith in the Anusara Method I don't know what is to come but I think good things will end up manifesting from this situation.
•  "believe this is supposed to be happening. As usual in Yoga, all the players are in the right place at the right time for the next evolution of Yoga to take place. Yoga is the driver here.
  
  Yoga is a living, breathing Intelligence (and a good driver). . It is a Blessing Force and a Wisdom Force. It arises to save you if you let it. And that arising Intelligence will demand alignment and it will not always make that demand nicely. " Karen Sprute Francovich
• "In my heart of hearts I know that once the dust settles something absolutely extraordinary is going to emerge from all of this." Marc Holzman