Isvara Pranidhana in your work and dharma or life duty
Practicing isvara pranidhana is very closely linked to the concept of ‘letting go of the fruits of our actions’ and ‘non-attachment,’ or the yama aparigraha.
If we’ve put a lot of effort into something which is important to us, we often worry about what might happen as a result. “Will they like me?,” “What if I’m not good enough?,” “Will this be successful?”…
All this worrying about things we have little control over is a main cause of our dukkha or suffering, which means we’re never fully engaged in the action we’re doing because our minds are already thinking about what might happen after…
The practice of surrendering here requires us to acknowledge that we can do our best in each situation, but we can’t really do any more than that; realizing this essentially allows us to fully engage and be present in what we’re doing, bringing all our energy to that moment and experiencing it fully just for what it is – what happens after, happens after…
A wonderful quote by Corrie Ten Boom is a helpful daily reminder to surrender and put our energy into the present moment instead of worrying about tomorrow:
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” ~Corrie Ten Boom
Isvara Pranidhana in your day to day life
In our daily life off the mat, Isvara Pranidhana can be seen as less of a devotional dedication or a surrendering, and more of an opening up to what is. Instead of fighting against life’s twists and turns, practice remaining open to experiencing life as it unfolds.
Remaining fixed and rigid in our conditioned patterns, habits and limitations only leads to a limited life. Surrendering is hugely challenging because it means letting go of our habitual ways of being in the world and in our life.
Surrendering to what is requires trust in our deepest Self, our intuition and the courage to express ourselves for who we are, as we are, with all of our perfect imperfections, which ultimately leads to freedom.
“And the day came when the risk to remain in a tight bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~Anais Nin
Whether it’s surrendering to a moment of difficulty or a moment of joy, surrendering the results of our actions, or simply learning to trust in the universe a little more, each time we do choose to surrender, we move closer to freedom.
Slow Down and Accept Meditation
Begin by accepting this moment just as it is, letting go of any desire to be doing anything else or to be anywhere else. Rest in the present moment and find freedom here.
Moon Connection Meditation
In honor of the full moon and upcoming lunar eclipse, I invite you to ease into sleep tonight or tomorrow night with this Moon Connection Meditation. Sweet dreams…
Super Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse Journal Prompt
The moon is gorgeous tonight as I write, and on its way to a super blue moon lunar eclipse tomorrow. Wow. That’s some powerful energy.
The moon is associated with the divine feminine, transformation, turning inward, intuition, and surrender…
So I invite you to explore
~What do you need to let go of now in order to freely move forward in your life? What beliefs or assumptions are holding you back?
~What changes are you currently experiencing in your life? What is newly beginning?