What you are, influences your choices.
What you choose, influences what you are.
You don’t like something in your life then choose differently, if a choice is available, if not then accept that for which no choice is available – for instance the pain due to the current COVID crises. It sounds very simple – choose differently and we have all been there, done that – New Year Resolutions, promises to our loved ones, etc. Some honored, most broken. Unless you understand who is choosing, this conundrum would continue to fox you in one way or another.
Here you need to meet yourself – who are you? Are you your body, prana, mind, soul or a combination of all these factors? You can observe that all of us are born with more or less the same faculties though we may look different. What is that which makes a sibling choose differently from another sibling? This is a karmic body which is a sum total of all your habits, tendencies that you have accumulated over lifetimes. This is the reason why even twins have different habit patterns. We live our lives through this karmic body and call it our “nature”. It is possible to change this “nature” provided you have the will, grit and determination to do so.
An interesting method was brought to light in the detective serial “Elementary” that is based on Sherlock Holmes. The serial is set in recent times and Sherlock Holmes is shown to be a rehabilitating heroin addict and Dr.Watson is a female who is assigned to him to be his “Sober Companion” whose role is to stay with him for a few weeks to enable him to deal with the society outside the rehabilitation centre. She then is trying to find a “Sponsor” who is a sort of a permanent sober companion who would be friends with Sherlock for a lifetime and help cope with the challenges. Interestingly, the sponsor must be him/herself a recovered addict and must be acceptable to the addict trying to recover.
Your nature is your addiction and if there are components of anger, greed, lust, etc, then you would need the same methodology to deal with bringing about that change. Whilst a good Yoga Ashram would serve as a rehabilitation centre, you will find it a challenge to find “Sober Companions” and “Sponsors” since they could possibly not be a part of your friend circle or even if they are then they were possibly ridiculed for their non-indulgence in your dramas. If you are able to find one, great, if not then simply start walking in the direction by yourself by joining a good school of Yoga near your place that teaches the philosophy, psychology and technology of Yoga, not only Asanas.
Remember, as long as the direction is right, you would eventually reach your destination. Doesn’t matter how many times you slip and fall, pick yourself up and continue walking. As Richard Bach has beautifully put it – “You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it however”
Bodhisattva 