A lot of my own self-work and my work with students lately has been focused on moving beyond the personal.  The personal represents the way that we always do things.  The way we habitually do things.  Perhaps it's the way we drive our cars (usually more toward the right or left in the lane), or the way we always respond to our partner (often times they can predict it before it even comes out of our mouth), the way we do a certain yoga pose, or even the way we sit down to meditate and the techniques we use to meditate.  

I believe so much of what we are working toward with all healing techniques - meditation, yoga, therapy, massage, energy work, etc - is aimed at helping us move beyond the personal.  When we move beyond the personal we are emptying ourselves of the beliefs, stories, and patterns we are holding on to so tightly.  It's uncomfortable.  It should be.  In order to create change we have to get uncomfortable. 

If you've been doing downward facing dog wrong your entire life chances are you're pretty dang comfortable doing it that way.  When you're finally corrected and put into the right alignment, chances are it's going to be uncomfortable as a mother f'er.

Getting beyond the personal requires taking action in the direction you are not programmed to go.  But when we can do this, and let go and  get empty, then there is a limitless amount of freedom on the other side.

We empty ourselves of the personal so we can fill up with The Universal.

Don't ever hesitate to reach out for whatever you need.  Here to listen, here to meditate with you, here for whatever you need.

Here's to emptiness my friends, cheers!

Carisa Banuelos, Root trip leader and mindfulness coach

Free Guided Meditation: Returning To Emptiness