Part I: Where the heck did my motivation go?
According to the Yoga Sutra’s, there are some predicted obstacles that arise while on one’s path. And, I think these obstacles arise on any journey whether it yogic, meditative, artistic, athletic, even corporate. We ALL get stuck, in a slump, in a rut and simply cannot be bothered from time to time. So, how do we get out of it?
Well, let me just say this, some words of caution if you will. These ruts can last a very long time if we don’t do anything about them, and I am speaking from experience. If you don’t find a way out, life could eventually evolve into a dense fog making it even harder to navigate.
Anyway, remember that old G.I. Joe saying, ‘now you know and knowing is half the battle’? I believe one of the first steps to overcoming obstacles is to know what your obstacles are. According to the yoga sutras, the most common are:
- Physical ailment (disease, mental or physical disease)
- Indifference (no willingness to stick to your responsibilities)
- Doubts (giving up not based on anything reasonable, low self-esteem)
- Carelessness (lack of persistence)
- Laziness (a passive approach, no will power)
- Restlessness (overactive senses)
- Delusion (not living in reality)
- Inability to reach higher experiences (poor practice, self-deprecation)
- Non-retention of experiences (frustration, instability)
Ah-ha! So, you are familiar with these too? At least we are not alone, not in the least. It’s pretty natural to experience obstacles. They ARE a part of the process and they can even make life a bit more interesting. What’s not so great is that if we fester in our obstacles, they can lead to other consequences like weight-gain, sadness, depression, physical and mental ailments and totally insane levels of frustration.
It is also important to point out that these obstacles weren’t always obstacles. They are manifested distractions. Meaning, you crossed paths with a distraction (you know what they are: fast food, incessant sofa-surfing, cosmopolitans, chocolate donuts, etc.), it got your attention, you made an engagement with that distraction and now, lucky you, have you an obstacle and all its conveniently disturbing qualities.
So, in a way, we are pretty much responsible for creating our own obstacles. Doesn’t that make you feel better? Perhaps not, but there’s hope.
Stay tuned for Part II for overcoming obstacles and getting your motivation back.
