“…To run where the devil would fear to tread, you got to put your money where your heart is…”
- Erasure. 1988.
Continued from Sat Nam – Part One...
So here I am…angry as fuck but open to possibility. I grabbed my mat, logged into Zoom and Veronika led me through some basic postures including “Fists of Anger” which is the most powerful combination of furious arm movements with furious breathwork and, most importantly, the incredibly powerful mantra that has changed my life completely since that day. This is the magic moment I was talking about. She told me...
Sat Nam.
She asked me to say it silently in my head through all the postures. “Sat” on the inhale. “Nam” on the exhale. “Sat” on the inhale. “Nam” on the exhale. She expertly threaded this mental chant through every breath we took during our practice and I quickly recognized that there was more to this kind of yoga than just sweating profusely in a hot room or attaining Instagram-able flexibility in workout gear designed by the Kardashians. (Those things are also fun and impressive! Just not what I needed in the moment.)
This type of yoga…this mantra…it’s not “stretching’. It isn’t “exercise”. It is a way of life.
It is a way to LIVE.
If you don’t really understand what a “mantra” is, it’s time to learn.. YOU have a mantra, whether you know it or not. I had a mantra, too. Remember my constant internal battle with the booze? That was a mantra. It is that subconscious affirmation or criticism of yourself that is playing on a loop inside your head. It is the “chant” that you have created based on your feelings about yourself and the world around you and it’s playing constantly in there! It isn’t a forced thought or something that you are really even aware of, but it’s there, nonetheless. You can’t fake the mantra. It is your current truth playing like a song you’ve heard so endlessly you don’t even notice it anymore. Sometimes it is a great song that you can’t get enough of (“More Than A Feeling” by Boston!) and sometimes it’s a total earworm.
(“Who Let the Dogs Out?!”).
Here is what you need to know. Your mantra – whatever it is – is calling in more of the same, all the time. Ever heard the saying that “your thoughts create your reality”? This means that whatever your subconscious mantra is, is what the universe will deliver to you. You are calling it in. Your mantra (whether you like it or not) is your message to the world. It is you, shouting to the universe, “Hey world. This is what I think about myself and you! Please confirm it for me in every way possible!” For reals, this is what is happening.
So, if your mantra – your baseline mental state of being – is saying “I love my life. I am grateful for my good health and my freedom and I feel love beyond my wildest dreams!” then you will see a bunch more of that goodness. If gratitude is the general theme of your mantra, then you’re all set! Prepare for more things to feel grateful about.
But if, like many of us, your mantra is something more critical like “I am scared that I drink too much and I hate myself for it” or “I am so fat. No one could ever love me.” or “I’ll never achieve the things I want in life because I am not good enough. I am not as worthy as the other people.” Then, you are going to see “proof” of that untrue horseshit everywhere you look and it is time to change your mantra! It is time to shift your focus.
What we focus on expands. It is as simple as that. So when I started to introduce this Sat Nam into my life I started to see an expansion of that mantra. As I have practiced daily with Veronika, it has become so ingrained that I don't even have to think about Sat Nam anymore and it is always just flowing through me with every breath, whether I am doing yoga or not...
Wanna know what it means?
It means “I am truth. Truth is my name. Truth is my essence.” THAT is the mantra you want running through your subconscious, friends. Trust me.
It is my reminder, every day, that I am ALL I need. Whatever I am looking for is right inside me. If I want optimal health, I have all the tools and knowledge I need to achieve that level of health. (Truth.). If I want to feel wealthy in this life and want to see abundance and love pour into my world, I can find that within. (Truth.) If I want to heal my broken heart and recreate a beautiful, more whole-hearted, life for myself and my kids, I have all that I need right inside myself. (Actual fact. It’s happening!). I am truth.
So, mantras. They work. You don't have to find yours through yoga, but if you’re looking for an upgrade, I would highly recommend Sat Nam. Or some version of it. It is a reminder that nothing outside of ourselves can heal us like we can heal ourselves. No amount of booze, no amount of pills, no amount of gossiping, no amount of intense cardio, no diet, no book, no streaming device, no food, no cleanse, no other human being – not our kids, and not even the actual resurrection of my husband could heal me like I can heal myself by believing that I am my truth. The end.
(Side note * I invite you to try a class with us sometime - seriously, send me a message - and let it all sink in. If you can breathe you can be successful in kundalini because it is all about the mantra and the breath. Postures are the least of it. If you can breathe, you are DOING it!)
Once we get the right mantra in place and we recognize that everything we actually need comes from within, we then have the FREEDOM to just enjoy all the other goodies! All that stuff becomes “gravy” as they say and it simply enhances our life. We don't need anything from it! Finally, a glass of wine can taste great without turning into six glasses and a fight with your partner. Finally, buying a new pair of shoes can just be a gorgeous and fun experience instead of a huge opportunity for buyer’s remorse that just provides a quick and dirty rush of dopamine when we click on “Add To Cart” but doesn’t meet our deeper emotional needs. Finally a big bowl of chips and some Netflix can be a guilt-free indulgent experience without a shame spiral. Maybe, with the right mantra, we will recognize that WE are all we need. Maybe then we can stop blaming and shaming and start living.
I think we can.
Sat Nam.
Til Next Time,
Heal & Be Healed.
TW. xo