Hi everyone!! I hope you all had a beautiful weekend!! I recently moved from Maui to Big Island into a yoga ashram, whoo! It’s quite different than the last place I was at, but I know it’s exactly where I am supposed to be at this time. This week I wanted to talk about serving others, or putting others before ourselves. This can get a bit confusing, which I will explain more in detail below. This idea came to me today while cooking dinner. I was talking to someone I live with about how lucky we are to live where we do. He told me that when you want anything in your life, when you are doing anything, if you are doing it with the intention of helping others instead of just yourself, magical things happen that you normally wouldn’t think possible. Everything falls into place with ease. This hit me in a really profound way and made me stop and think about what I was really doing with anything in my life such as my art and my reasons for being at the ashram. I for one, always feel a lot better when I am doing anything for the intention of helping others instead of myself, giving to others instead of myself, I find my heart more full and I am more content and peaceful.

The reason this can be so tricky (in my opinion) is because some people mistake putting others first as doing anything they can possibly do for other people, giving away all of their energy to others and not leaving any for themselves. I like to think of it as a well. Yes, its great to give water to those that need it, but if you give all of your water away (even to those that have enough) you will dry up and not be able to help out anymore thirsty humans! So, it’s very important to remember that self care comes first. Making sure your needs are met, that you have enough energy or life force so that you may give your mana to those that really need it!

Again, it all comes back to intention! Ask yourself, why are you doing what you are doing? This can be with anything! If your intention comes from the ego, or for selfish reasons, than maybe it is best to direct your energy and attention to something else. A lot of the time we may think we are doing something good for someone else, but this can be another trick by the ego (ah!!) and it is actually just to make ourselves feel better. This is not really what it means to serve others. What I mean is doing something and not thinking about what you will get out of it, not thinking about the outcome, just doing it to do it! Most of us do things so that we as individuals will get something in return!

This goes hand in hand with the law of attraction: what you give out you get back. The more you give (especially love!!) the more you will get back! Sometimes we are afraid and we get too attached to material objects, circumstances, people, dreams, desires; we are afraid if we give them away we will never have them again. The truth is, we don’t own ANYTHING in this life, nor the next one, or the next one after that! We are just visitors hanging out on this earth. So don’t worry about things you cannot control, possessions or people that will inevitably leave you. Because one day we will all depart from our skin suits and then who knows! What I do know is that you cannot take your cellphone, car, dog, sister, banana figs (my favorite) with you on the way out. A good practice to lessen our attachments is to give it away! “Give always give what you can, even if your allies draw lines in the sand.” A great start to the song Love Letters to God by one of my favorite musicians Nahko! This song is a vibe for me, a great reminder to give even when you don’t necessarily want to, when it is difficult to let go, give and you will feel yourself become lighter and more connected.

Putting others before ourselves is not something our individualistic society is used to. We are taught to take what we can because there is never enough. Well there is enough. Pachamama provides for her children, but when some take more than they need to, that is when there is imbalance in the world. That is why there is starvation, deforestation, destruction, alienation from one another! There is no need to live in fear. To live in greed. Sharing what we have is a much better way to live, our ancestors knew it, the ancients, the indigenous. When we share and put others first, we find more meaning, purpose, gratitude, and love for ourselves and for others. Ask yourself, do you feel better when you share with others or keep it all to yourself?

This also doesn’t have to be tangible, material possessions either. Sharing ideas, art, love, stories, emotions, are sometimes even more beautiful! So if you take anything into 2020, I hope it is giving more than you take, living and loving with intention, and showing yourself some love and gratitude for what you already have:)

Everyone have a blessed week. Peace from Big Island!! Also, feel free to message me as always! Also hear is the link for the song I mentioned earlier: https://open.spotify.com/track/7KJcNLzUlCYnmTgsyyswOG?si=l7x7torkTfWRe9zCHOnWJw

Aho!

Rylee