One is taught by experience to put a premium on those few people who can appreciate you for who you are. -- Gail Godwin

In our relationships so few of us get accepted for the person we are. Our mates, partners, friends, and relatives often want to change us and control us.  Acceptance is a very difficult thing for most of us to do because it calls upon us to simply let go.  Letting go means losing control, however in reality none of us have any control over others.  Control is simply an insecurity that is super imposed upon others.

Yoga teaches us to accept and let go.  Yoga calls upon us to live in the moment and to allow the flow of energy to freely move in its natural rhythm.  Because most of life is uncertain and unpredictable trying to change someone or control someone only creates resistance and resistance creates stress.

How do we let go and accept in a world that demands we be in control, be competitive, and on top of the constant changes that we face on a daily basis?  A wise soul disciplines his or her mind giving it a direction that is constructive. Most humans find life to be difficult because they are locked into trying to control and possess that which can never be controlled or owned.  As humans we find it hard to adjust to the ever-changing conditions of life.  When we learn to detach ourselves from the negativity of emotions we learn to direct the mind away from controlling others and into a place of appreciation for exactly what others have to offer.

The key is detachment; not from objects or from life but from our reactions.  Detachment means we step back from all experiences good or bad, painful or pleasurable and simply let the experience unfold without attachment to the outcome.

The average person can not simply detach from external and internal objects. This inability to let go is called bondage.  This bondage is as a result of a person craving that which does not exist. These cravings can not be satisfied and therefore the person is left with un-appreciation of the true nature of things.

We simply stop appreciating.

Appreciation is accepting things as they are and seeing the value without the need to change or control. And who of us does not want to be accepted for the person we are?

When you control your own mind (and life) and accept others as they are, you gain a great sense of wisdom for you truly understand that the only thing you can truly control is your own thoughts, words, and actions.

Doctor Lynn
www.doctorlynn.com