How to find peace when life feels outside of our control?
This is the mantra or prayer that I use to avoid getting stressed.
I'm writing this
At gate B47, Heathrow airport.
I am flying to India at any moment…
It feels completely unreal.
Yet when you read these words,
I should have arrived already.
It's interesting to watch my mind,
And notice how occupied it is
With 'what others might think'.
As for so many
Travelling in times of Covid
Is a distant concept.
And here I am on a trip
To my spiritual home,
While so many have not even seen
Their own family for years...
But what I wanted to write about today
Is something different.
I’d like to share with you
The mantra that helps me to stay peaceful
In situations outside of my control.
Like this trip:
Gosh the list of things
That could obstruct
It from ever happening
Seemed endless.
So ever since I booked the ticket,
I surrendered the entire experience
To something bigger.
I guess I say some kind of ‘prayer’.
It goes like this:
"May I be in my
Spiritual home India soon,
Or something even better…"
That final sentence
Is where the magic takes place.
It opens me up to a future
In which whatever is happening
Will be good.
So the mantra in my mind
Has been going like this:
"If I'm meant to go,
It'll happen and I'll be in India soon.
And if I'm not meant to be there,
It won't happen.
Then something even better
Is in store for me here."
Because we don't know, do we?
We’ve got utterly no clue
What the best outcome is.
If my prayer only mentions
'I want to go to India',
Then I might might get there,
But end up having an accident.
Or I might be in my guesthouse
And it gets damaged in a storm.
A bit extreme examples,
But you understand my point:
Our wish coming true
Does not always lead
To the outcome we want.
So I surrender the whole thing:
May my wish come true,
Or something even better.
And then I try to feel at peace
With any scenario.
Completely accepting
Of any outcome:
Quarantine? OK.
Cancelled trip? OK
New government guidelines? OK
Extra testing? OK
Getting stuck in India? OK
Home again tonight
As I forgot mandatory papers? OK
Breathe in, breathe out.
May our heart’s longing
Come true.
And if not,
May something even better
Be about to happen.
This is how I keep my sanity,
It helps me stay peaceful inside.
And it's great for not getting angry
At innocent airport staff too.
Lol, I do put some wise effort into it:
I booked a fully refundable ticket,
The cheapest PCR test I could find,
And no advance payments for my stay.
So it's my inner masculine
Who makes smart practical decisions.
And my inner feminine
Who surrenders the entire enterprise
To something bigger that knows best.
It's like wishing to catch the train
But when you miss it
Meeting the love of your life
At the platform.
I invite you
After each request of your heart
To add "this, or something even better".
Open up to bigger possibilities
And enjoy the peaceful spaciousness.
With love,
Karin
PS
And just to let you know,
In case you are concerned about
Being India in times of Covid:
I am not travelling
To crowded/party/busy/indoor places
(Besides the plane off course!).
I’ll be in a small beach community
In the South of India
I feel safe there,
And will keep others safe
To the best of my ability.
If you’d like, follow my adventures on Instagram
I’ll send the spirit of India your way!
“Beautiful story, again! Enjoy your second home land.”
“Darling Karin. Wonderful, wonderful message.”
“Take care of yourself. Enjoy your time in India.”
