This last "10 lessons I've learned" is more of a mantra, a way of closing the list of 10. It's also my personal mantra I use with my main mala I made for myself.
10 - Invite and Be, Share and Give
First I'll explain what my mala means to me. By word origin, mala is a Sanskrit word meaning garland. Japa means recitation, and it is traditionally used as an adjective and combined to form Japa Mala (prayer beads for meditation) (dictionary.com). Malas are made out of various materials: seeds, beads, jewels, shells, and anything else that can be threaded on a cord. I've seen various kinds and makes of malas, and I guess to put it simply it helps me focus my mind when meditating.
I used to have racing thoughts in my head (and at times I still do), but through the daily practice of meditation I've become aware of my thoughts and actions. The mala I use helps me to focus on my mantra, in which I can focus my attention on the meaning.
Of the mantra "Invite and Be, Share and Give" I will break down what each word means to me, because all of them together help me move through each day fully and with love.
~Invite~
I chose this as my first word of my mantra as meaning being accepting of each situation presented to me, whatever it entails. I used to be very picky when approaching things; food, experiences, etc. I always had Murphy's law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong) running through my thoughts, and that's the reality I created: nothing went right for me. Nothing was quite right and went well, even if it did go well - I would always look for the thing(s) that were off, that missed, that didn't do exactly as I wanted them to do.
Once I accepted that all things happen in our life and most of them are out of our control I realized that we have the choice: do we resist life's experiences or do we invite and accept them as growth for us?
~Be~
This word is very important to me in this mantra, and overall. If I had to chose one word over all in the mantra, it would be this one. The word 'Be' for me is being aware of the present moment, always. Having my thoughts either stewing about the past or being anxious about the future always kept my mind in a place that didn't exist: the Now. Once I was aware that the present moment is the only place in time that we can be fully aware of was very eye-opening to me. It gave me a refreshed sense of respect towards everything that happened to me in a daily basis, even moments of unwelcome feelings: stress, pressure, strife, grief. I became aware of those feelings, in the moment, and they would pass through me at an easier rate. This new awareness I've become more loving, more accepting, and my temper has a very much longer fuse than what it did in the past. Being aware of the Now moment is the greatest gift along my journey.
~Share~
This word seems simple enough, but is difficult when we throw in the ego-factor. Our egos want us to have everything for ourselves, be the first, the best, the top. Having that highly competitive mindset is great for pushing our personal best - but it can come with a nasty side effect if you are not aware of it: selfishness. Everything must be yours, and it can become difficult to let someone else go first, try something before you, have something that you don't, etc.
Being someone who loves to share now took a while. I didn't like to share things right away. I mean, ask any child that is in the "Mine, Mine, Mine" stage in their life. It resembles us when we are heavy in our own egos and we want everything for ourselves. There came a moment when I finally received the lesson that I can't take any of these material things with me when I pass. Put in the extra credit that none of our current material things aren't ours either. Yes, we purchased them, have our name on them...but they aren't really ours. They are things. They will always be just that. We seem to add emotional insurance to them though, adding stress when we lose them or have them taken away from us.
~Give~
This last word does tie in with 'Share', but it has a slightly different meaning to me.
Although we do have time on this rock, it doens't last long. Sometimes it is taken away early through loss of life through various means. It all seems crazy that our time is really not our own in the grand scheme. Although I am aware that my time is short, I do get to choose who I Give it to. Family, friends, clients, students, etc. I get to fill my cup up (currently drinking some yummy coffee). Exercise, sleep, good food and positive self-talk and positive personal and professional growth to name a few types of 'whole bean coffee' that I make for myself. Once I have more than what my cup can hold, I freely choose who to give it to, because I have the innate intuition and guidance that tells me how to correctly and safely give of my time.
It's a great thing to be aware of.
Once you fill yourself up of what you need, you can then take the excess and give it to those you love, those that you feel inspired to give it to. Too many people give everything of themselves to everyone, and that isn't healthy at all. Those people become lathargic, worn out, stressed out, and so overworked that they feel they have no time to themselves.
Realize that it is your choices that give or take away fuel during your day; perhaps it would cause you to make different choices, maybe not. That's your choice to make, right?
If you would like to meet up and talk about making your own mantra or having me create a mala for you, feel free to contact me at brandon@alignyourjourney.com