EVERYDAY LEAPS OF TRIUMPH

In terms of spirituality, winter should be recognized as the season of inner renewal. For me, winter is recognized as the season of burrowing peril - a time of depressed, intense resistance. Not only do I resist winter, I take it personal, wallowing in the belief that I alone, am at the mercy of relentless ice blizzards and harsh northern treatment in general.

Being raised in the Great White North, I've never understood the appeal of endless months spent in frigid darkness. I've been at a loss for how to overcome my horror for plummeting temperatures. As a youngster, I always believed my living here happened by way of a traumatic incident, and that sooner or later my sane relatives would send for me from the tropics. As an adult, it seemed my brain had frozen, lacking direction as to how to leave for good, despite some dramatic attempts.

In truth, would moving to a tropical place make me happier? Not according to my yoga teacher...as she cites with certainty "A geographical move will enhance your life but it will not miraculously bring you inner joy and peace" Hhmmm...actually I'm good with a mere "life enhancement" (since that indeed would be a new occurrence) and miracles can be shelved for another life.

The wise gurus and Oprah say that unhappiness doesn't magically evaporate by changing our outside circumstances, including moving to a tropical place.

And that the only way OUT of our unhappiness is THROUGH. What on earth?? It seems the message here is put head down and power through a multitude of ice storms and learn to love it! Truthfully, I haven't exactly found inner peace outside of myself - it hasn't come in a purchase nor in a someone, nor in a law of attraction like it was supposed to.

So then, how does one rise up and out of the swamp of misery? (This is the "feign interest and energy" part). We crawl up by "embracing our work of inner renewal and stop living externally". I know this because at least 50 of the books on my shelf scream that. The phrase "Inner work is all we are really here to do" makes transformation sound so easy breezy cover girl like "really all you have to do is simply trim your toenails".

To back up this philosophy, the plaque hanging in my bathroom says "a state of tension is who we think we should be" rather than who we really are. 

When I'm not using a maxed out credit card to chip away the glacier sheet emblazoned on my windshield, I try to practice what I read. I've put together some teachings that may seem ambitious for real life, but look celebratory on the printed page:

HOW TO EXPERIENCE EVERYDAY LEAPS OF TRIUMPH:

Stop stagnating, do something new, like buying a fresh toothbrush

Feel something, rather than blacking out

Go through something, rather than going thru email

Give self permission to be happy, rather than waiting for permission to have a cigarette

Move the body, especially when energy is bottomed out (then whine about it later)

Allow emotions to pass through, rather than bond and glue them into a reality TV series

Observe destructive thoughts, rather than making someone else pay

Believe inner truth, rather than the tricks of the mind (and "friends on the inside")

Be kind to self, even though the place from whence we came "didn't do kind".

Remember to connect with Inner Consciousness and detach from Toxic Toad Ego

And above all, remember to do these things in order to Exit the Great White North, or to at least learn how to Self Rescue (unless of course you're already in paradise...)