The Eighth Obstacle—Getting Caught in the Illusion of Life

Getting caught in the illusion of life means having a false impression of life as being a certain way, a false sense of security, and a false sense of importance. The eighth obstacle, Maya, means illusions or boundaries. Competing in life requires a strong body and a steady mind, but success requires something more profound: a sincere and intellectual understanding of Maya. We have all heard the saying that the world is an illusion and nothing is real. But that is not true. Everything around you is real. Believing that we all see the world through the same set of eyes and from the same experiences is the illusion. We see the world through our perspective, forgetting that everyone has a unique view of the world. We may share a common reality, but how we experience and perceive life is unique to each of us. The illusion is in believing that how we perceive the world is the only view. The world is real, made up of experiences through which we might gain actual knowledge of what yoga calls our Purusha, our authentic being, known as the soul. This is your character and virtues—let’s get to work. END: We often look to the material world to define us. It is not the material world that defines us, but what defines us is what we do with it and how we do or do not let it build character, values, and virtues. The only permanent thing is what you cultivate within. Money, health, happiness, possessions, and relationships come and go, but the virtues you build within you carry through each incarnation. The world is real—how we perceive the world is an illusion. So, work to develop virtues within. Know the world is real and then use it as a great opportunity to build acceptance, tolerance, compassion, and understanding, and you will overcome the obstacle of illusion. It takes work to separate yourself and see the world for what it is—an opportunity to master your karma. Remember, everything in the world is real and ever-changing. Nothing in life is permanent except the characteristics and qualities you develop and retain. Wealth, material things, world peace, technology, emotions, and feelings are all constantly changing, but what you create within carries with you from lifetime to lifetime. Be peaceful, kind, and generous. EGO: Flip your palms up and extend out the index finger—the ego. The Maya, or illusion, believes everything is ego-related and real from the ego's perspective. You are here to use the world, but do not be used by it. Pull your finger in and place your thumb on top, symbolizing the soul. Take a breath and surrender to your soul. You are a steward of life, so use it wisely. To overcome Maya, detach and observe life without indifference. Withdraw and reflect with an objective point of view. Remove your emotional attachment, and you will discover clarity. You will then begin to understand why you are here and what you are here to learn. See every problem and decision as an opportunity to learn, know, and master your karma, and thus, you master your life. The world is not an illusion; it is made of real things and experiences so that we might have the opportunity to discover, define, and refine our Purusha, our authentic being, known as the soul. Your life cannot be understood through intellectual interpretation. Life can only be understood through experiences. See the experiences for what they are: opportunities to lift the veil of illusion so that you might learn, know, and master your karma. Namaste~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn For books, classes, consultations, and more, visit http://www.doctorlynn.com

The Seventh Obstacle—Doubting One’s Progress

Doubting one's progress means questioning or comparing one's life to others. Why is someone else more successful, more innovative, or more evolved? Have they made more progress in life than we have? We live in a world where others may be more successful and move down life's path faster. We doubt our progress. Have you ever questioned where or what you are doing with your life and wondered if you were on the right path? Questioning is a byproduct of the obstacle of self-doubt. When you doubt yourself, you doubt the progress you've made. Karma, however, teaches us that we are all on our paths, and the markers of the material world do not indicate how far we have progressed soulfully. The soul is here to turn deceit, greed, anger, and pride into truth, generosity, kindness, and humility. Awareness of this and taking this direction puts you further down the path than someone ignorant of what progress means. Awareness does not mean that you cannot be wealthy and powerful. What you do with your energy is the true marker of progress. Regardless of where you are, if you are working on being honest, generous, kind, and humble, you are making progress. It takes work—that's karma. Let's get started. END: Everyone faces doubt in varying intensities—from a subtle whisper to a loud emotional shout. Doubt can remind us to return to our most basic truth—love. Where there is true love, there is no doubt. Doubt can teach us a thing or two about ourselves and the world. We have an opportunity to see where we lack trust and, as such, can make a different choice. When we become aware of doubt, we connect to a deeper part of our being—a place of stillness and peace. Here, we connect with the soul or our essence, and it is here that we truly discover our progress along life's path. Trust and love yourself and be honest, generous, kind, and humble, and you will make tremendous progress in life. EGO: Flip your palms up and extend the index fingers, the symbol of the ego. Doubt, at the core of the ego, is a fearful emotion. The ego shouts at us to take charge, fearing not being accepted, rejected, or loved. It doubts its self-worth and questions its progress. Pull your index finger in and place your thumb on top, the symbol of the soul. Take a breath and surrender to your soul. When we surrender to the essence of our being, our soul, we discover that each path is unique. Comparison and competition do not fit into the soul's mission. The soul is here to help us quiet the mind and see the world for what it really is—an opportunity to discover trust, generosity, kindness, and humility within ourselves. When we discover these qualities within, we have no need to doubt ourselves or our progress. We often climb hills only to slide down or climb to the top of the mountain, only to realize we climbed the wrong mountain for the wrong reason. So, we must come down and begin a new climb. Navigating life takes continual practice. Sometimes, we get it right, and sometimes, we don't. But we need to keep practicing to achieve trust, belief, and love for ourselves. Namaste~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn For books, classes, consultations, and more http://www.doctorlynn.com