When
wild elephants are domesticated as
babies, they are chained to a huge tree or to a thick iron stake driven deep
into the ground. This stake/tree is physically able to hold the young
elephant, despite the elephant’s repeated attempts to pull free and escape.
After many unsuccessful attempts at freedom, the young elephant associates pain
with pulling on the stake or tree, thus breaking its desire to be free.
This belief is carried into the elephant’s adulthood.
When the elephant is full-grown, he could easily break free from the small
stake to which he is now chained; yet he never even attempts to do so. This
intelligent, powerful creature is held captive, not by any physical restraint,
but by his own mind filled with memories and his belief in them. He
doesn’t think he can, so he can’t, and the memory of the pain stops him from
trying.
What’s
holding you back? Are you like the
elephant who feels held back by current circumstances or old memories? Do you look at others and think, "I wish I had the courage/brains/fortitude to do what she's doing, but I don't." If you
were to truly look at your life, and become aware of the “rules” that are in
place and who set them (you) and why….you may notice that when analyzed they seem arbitrary and
can be let go. Rather than going through your life feeling chained to people,
places, jobs, situations…begin to shift your awareness and start to take note of where freedom, albiet hidden, exists! For instance, you will tell yourself that you just can’t change jobs,
even though you are miserable. You’ve
assured yourself it’s just not possible, so you place your proverbial stake in
the ground at the office that you find depressing, never even thinking of breaking
free and finding something that better suits you.
Once
you realize that you are often only as trapped/chained as you choose to be, suddenly a sense
of freedom may kick in. Being free to do what feels good, follow your dreams,
cook a new meal at home, drive a different route to work, try a new fitness
regimen...can actually be quite scary. When
you’re not used to freedom, it’s uncomfortable and unsettling. You would think it’s
liberating…but at first glance, it’s often scary. Work on being aware that the
fear you’re feeling is just the ego's way of trying to make you doubt yourself and to
force you into staying with the status quo. Change challenges you, it takes effort, it might
make you grow, it might create new outcomes. But, the ego prefers things to stay
just as they are. Once you realize that this is what’s happening, then take note,
push the ego and fear aside, and pull your stake out of the ground! You will be amazed at what lies ahead of you
when you retrain your brain from bound to boundless!
by Brooke Nisbet
E-RYT200, RYT500
Yoga Teacher | Yoga Teacher Trainer | Yoga Mentor | Wellness Guide
