Karmic Scars
Beyond the Shadows, Into the Light
By: Rita-Marie Murphy
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why does this (fill in the black) keep happening to me?” Have you ever found yourself experiencing the same problem in your personal relationships? These are our “samskaras” playing out over and over again like a broken record until we are able to accept ourselves as we are, for who we are and release whatever it is that is no longer serving us. It is our “samskaras” that cause us to walk into a room with 999 angels only to pick the one person who is just as messed up as we are, then convince ourselves that this is the person whom we were destined to be with. We recognize our shared experiences in others. This reflection creates a sense of knowingness or belonging that draws us to this individual or experience through which we repeat the same patterns and find ourselves wondering where we went wrong. We are comfortable with what is familiar.
Samskaras are karmic scars that we incur throughout our lives. They are the psychological imprints and emotional wounds that never seem to heal. Samskaras are individual impressions or actions that make up our conditioning. They are the patterns that we repeat in our thoughts and actions; they skew our perception of reality and ourselves. Samskaras are the obstacles that we are all forever trying to overcome.
Samskara originates from the Sanskrit words “sam” (complete or joined together) and “kara” (action, cause, or doing). Repeating samskaras reinforces them, creating a groove. Samskaras can be positive, it also means to polish or perfect; they can, however, be negative, creating the feeling that we are stuck in a rut. Through the practice and philosophy of yoga we can overcome our personal battles and break free, just like a butterfly busting out of its cocoon.
Yoga helps us find ourselves, see ourselves and hopefully come to accept and love ourselves exactly as we are. In Sanskrit, the word “yoga” means to yoke or unite. When we practice, we unite the mind, the body and the spirit. We make an offering with our practice; our body performs a cosmic dance; our breath acts as the gateway to the divine. Yoga prepares the body to sit for long periods of time in meditation. We learn to clear the mind and be present, basking in the glory of who it is we really are. In these moments we are able to recognize our behaviors, our patterns and the familiar grooves that we often comfortably rest in. In these moments of clarity we stop asking, “Why does this keep on happening?” Instead we ask, “What does this pattern tell me about myself? What triggers me to repeat it?” This keen insight can be used to make a great shift away from the patterns that are no longer serving us in order to create and imprint new patterns or samskaras that will lead us to our highest selves.
Yoga originates from India where Hinduism is the dominant religion. Shiva, the lord of destruction and the cosmic dancer is artistically represented as having many different arms and legs, the locks of his hair whipping about. This is representative of the “tandava,” a particularly violent dance in which he moves wildly, thrashing his arms and legs and locks of hair around so forcefully as to break away the old so that the new may enter. When he dances, Shiva makes mountains tremble, oceans swell and crashes into heavenly bodies knocking them off course or destroying them completely. The folklore and religious beliefs associated with Shiva provide meaningful symbolism that can be used to help us break samskaras and move beyond our obstacles. In much Hindu art, Shiva is seen dancing on something. That something is representative of our samskaras. He is dancing on our obstacles. Shiva teaches us that life is a dance; the key is to never stop dancing and to never let the dance get too dramatic. We all will experience our “Black Swan” moments. The trick is to never let the shadows overpower the light. Shadows cannot exist without light. Our shadows, our samskaras, are a part of who we are; they are not who we are. Our issues, problems, past, etc., only define us if we let them. We, like the butterfly, can break through and transform ourselves into something of great beauty. We can live in the light and let the shadows fall behind us. According to Helen Keller, all we have to do is “keep our face to the sunshine.”
We can also dance! Barre classes are a great way to use the body, breathe and movement to clear the mind, sculpt the form and liberate the soul. Barre is a fusion of yoga, body sculpting and dance. So throw on your favorite Cozy Orange yoga apparel and hit the mat, the barre or the dance floor. Believe that you will persevere. Know that breakdowns lead to break throughs. Trust that you are never alone. We are all connected. Namaste.
If you are interested in trying a Barre class, check out Fluid Power Fitness of Sayville, NY. This studio offers amazing Barre classes! Founder, Cathleen Deutscher, is an inspirational and talented teacher who brings her love of dance and fluid fitness into every class.
Beyond the Shadows, Into the Light
By: Rita-Marie Murphy
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why does this (fill in the black) keep happening to me?” Have you ever found yourself experiencing the same problem in your personal relationships? These are our “samskaras” playing out over and over again like a broken record until we are able to accept ourselves as we are, for who we are and release whatever it is that is no longer serving us. It is our “samskaras” that cause us to walk into a room with 999 angels only to pick the one person who is just as messed up as we are, then convince ourselves that this is the person whom we were destined to be with. We recognize our shared experiences in others. This reflection creates a sense of knowingness or belonging that draws us to this individual or experience through which we repeat the same patterns and find ourselves wondering where we went wrong. We are comfortable with what is familiar.
Samskaras are karmic scars that we incur throughout our lives. They are the psychological imprints and emotional wounds that never seem to heal. Samskaras are individual impressions or actions that make up our conditioning. They are the patterns that we repeat in our thoughts and actions; they skew our perception of reality and ourselves. Samskaras are the obstacles that we are all forever trying to overcome.
Samskara originates from the Sanskrit words “sam” (complete or joined together) and “kara” (action, cause, or doing). Repeating samskaras reinforces them, creating a groove. Samskaras can be positive, it also means to polish or perfect; they can, however, be negative, creating the feeling that we are stuck in a rut. Through the practice and philosophy of yoga we can overcome our personal battles and break free, just like a butterfly busting out of its cocoon.
Yoga helps us find ourselves, see ourselves and hopefully come to accept and love ourselves exactly as we are. In Sanskrit, the word “yoga” means to yoke or unite. When we practice, we unite the mind, the body and the spirit. We make an offering with our practice; our body performs a cosmic dance; our breath acts as the gateway to the divine. Yoga prepares the body to sit for long periods of time in meditation. We learn to clear the mind and be present, basking in the glory of who it is we really are. In these moments we are able to recognize our behaviors, our patterns and the familiar grooves that we often comfortably rest in. In these moments of clarity we stop asking, “Why does this keep on happening?” Instead we ask, “What does this pattern tell me about myself? What triggers me to repeat it?” This keen insight can be used to make a great shift away from the patterns that are no longer serving us in order to create and imprint new patterns or samskaras that will lead us to our highest selves.
Yoga originates from India where Hinduism is the dominant religion. Shiva, the lord of destruction and the cosmic dancer is artistically represented as having many different arms and legs, the locks of his hair whipping about. This is representative of the “tandava,” a particularly violent dance in which he moves wildly, thrashing his arms and legs and locks of hair around so forcefully as to break away the old so that the new may enter. When he dances, Shiva makes mountains tremble, oceans swell and crashes into heavenly bodies knocking them off course or destroying them completely. The folklore and religious beliefs associated with Shiva provide meaningful symbolism that can be used to help us break samskaras and move beyond our obstacles. In much Hindu art, Shiva is seen dancing on something. That something is representative of our samskaras. He is dancing on our obstacles. Shiva teaches us that life is a dance; the key is to never stop dancing and to never let the dance get too dramatic. We all will experience our “Black Swan” moments. The trick is to never let the shadows overpower the light. Shadows cannot exist without light. Our shadows, our samskaras, are a part of who we are; they are not who we are. Our issues, problems, past, etc., only define us if we let them. We, like the butterfly, can break through and transform ourselves into something of great beauty. We can live in the light and let the shadows fall behind us. According to Helen Keller, all we have to do is “keep our face to the sunshine.”
We can also dance! Barre classes are a great way to use the body, breathe and movement to clear the mind, sculpt the form and liberate the soul. Barre is a fusion of yoga, body sculpting and dance. So throw on your favorite Cozy Orange yoga apparel and hit the mat, the barre or the dance floor. Believe that you will persevere. Know that breakdowns lead to break throughs. Trust that you are never alone. We are all connected. Namaste.
If you are interested in trying a Barre class, check out Fluid Power Fitness of Sayville, NY. This studio offers amazing Barre classes! Founder, Cathleen Deutscher, is an inspirational and talented teacher who brings her love of dance and fluid fitness into every class.
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