Letting Go Of Perfection

This mindfulness/dharma talk is for anyone who desires to let go of old ideas about how they live, study, teach, or practice. It is ideal for yoga and meditation teachers and students; coaches and mentors as well as their clients; and anyone else who wishes to see things clearly without feeling that they need to be perfect.

Listeners will learn the Sanskrit mantra LOKAH SAMASTA SUHKINO BHAVANTU ("May all beings be happy and free") as a yogic teaching that leads to unity and peace. Ultimately, students will be invited to be present, breathe consciously, and just be themselves today -- exactly as they are.

Transcript

Hello friends,

Seekers,

Students,

Teachers,

Anyone who's listening.

Welcome.

Namaste.

You have permission today to be open-minded,

To be honest,

To be human.

Our teaching today is about letting go of perfection or saying the right thing or even doing the right thing.

This talk is an introduction or an invitation to let go of ideas of how we're supposed to practice or how we're supposed to do anything.

This includes meditation,

Yoga,

Working a program of recovery.

Oftentimes we have such strict rules and regulations,

Very solid and strong disciplines and practices,

But without some leniency or levity or lightness or freedom to explore and fall down and mess up,

The same practices and disciplines that help us may also harm us.

Let's take a breath together.

Inhale and exhale.

Let something go.

Again,

Inhale and exhale.

Release the breath.

Last time,

Inhale and exhale.

Take a moment to think about these things.

Think about some old ideas,

Limiting beliefs.

That something isn't real or it doesn't count because it's not being done the way we think it's supposed to be done.

Think about times when you've learned just as much when you've been the student as when you've been the teacher.

Think about times when you've been present and you've been able to see things clearly in titles or words like teacher,

Student,

Practitioner.

These labels.

Notice times when they've faded away and the essence was there.

The energy was there.

The lesson that needed to be learned was there.

Today is an invitation to just be,

To accept things as they are,

To practice whatever it is you choose to practice in any way you choose to practice it.

Let go of the labels today.

If you're teaching or guiding a class or group,

Remember you're also part of that group.

And if you're open,

If your heart is open,

If your mind is open,

You'll also be receiving while you're giving simultaneously.

There's a reciprocity there,

A mutuality.

This is what yoga means.

Union.

There's a chant in the yoga tradition,

Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu.

This means,

May all beings be happy and free.

And may our thoughts and actions contribute to the happiness and freedom of all beings everywhere.

Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu.

When we hear a chant like this,

When we sing or recite a chant or mantra like this,

There's no room for titles or divisions.

The teachers aren't on one side of the room and the students on the other.

The parents aren't over there and the children over here.

The spiritual people don't sit in that section and the non-spiritual in a different section.

May all beings,

All living things be happy,

Joyous and free.

Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu.

Today you have permission.

Find this permission within yourself.

If any of these ideas resonate within your heart,

Use them today.

Let go of some labels,

Some ideas.

Allow whatever it is you do today to be what you do today.

Receive from it.

Enjoy it.

See things clearly today.

Let's take one last breath together.

Inhale.

And exhale.

Release the breath.

Namaste.

Reviews

A wonderful reminder of self-acceptance and being present. It gently guides us to release unrealistic standards and embrace imperfection, emphasizing that we are always both leaders and students on our journey."