The Freedom of 95% Uncontrollable – Move into What IS

“We are souls dressed up in sacred biochemical garments and our bodies are the instruments through which our souls play their music.”   Albert Einstein 

In the past week, I read a short book by Anne Lammot, ‘Dusk, Night, Dawn’ full of pithy insights, including the amount of control we have over external situations. While it was intuitively understood that we have far less control that we think we do, the data suggests even more disparity.  On average, we think that we have control over about 80% of life’s events, of what happens day to day and within our lifetime. Reality is we have control over 3-7%!  

The mental construct of the human mind is fascinating. We unconsciously create this illusion of control and then, when we bump up against the reality of not having control of our external situation, we are invited to make a choice. We can keep bumping up against that reality, trying again and again to get different results, or to exert more and more control. I’ve tried this. I’ve tried this a lot and my head hurts. The more we try to control the less successful it is, or the illusion of control deepens and we then need to work harder and harder to control the situation and people in our life so as to continue to maintain the Illusion of control. Think about that… feel that for a few moments. Do you see the futility in this that we have all unwittingly engaged in? And yet we all do just this! I certainly do, although with heightened awareness …. at least sometimes. :) 

So, what do we have control over? We get to choose how we respond to situations. Our first innate reaction is deeply embedded and not controllable; what happens after that reaction determines our response and is controllable, over time and with practice. It becomes more and more controllable with practice and humility and the power of breath to create the pause between immediate reaction and choice of response. We always have time for a breath. 

There is also a freedom in the representation of external control being about 5 percent. This freedom includes the option to redirect our energy and attention inward, and less outward. Certainly, we continue to show up fully to life and the myriad of twists and turns offered. Yes, we prepare knowing the outcome is uncertainty, and yet there can be a letting go within this – perhaps a bit more fun, a little less intensity, and lightness of being. It is our choice – to view lack of external control by exerting more control, or heightening our awareness of the choice of the being with what is, and seeing our internal choices. 

One of the opportunities to let go is to move freely in our bodies  - either in a guided or unguided, internally-prompted way. This freedom of movement within invites the sacred dance of our souls to be visually expressed, and more importantly to be felt. It invites the chasm of controlling how we would like to be seen to soften, perhaps melt, and to let go, let go, let go into what our bodies are inviting – movement or stillness, fast or slow, engaging with those around us or remaining in our own bubble. 

Join me for an experience of movement on Saturday, April 30th, at Spirit of Yoga from 2-4 PM. More info here or RSVP directly to me.