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The Responsibility of Being Great

Posted on 16 July 2010. Tags: Adho Mukha Svanasana, Amber Dehn, Ambrose Bierce, Daṇḍāsana, IndependentYoga, Religion and Spirituality, Tadasana, Teachers and Centers, United States, Yoga, Yoga Author, Yoga Business, yoga responsibility, Yoga Service, yoga Seva, Yoga Teacher Making It, Yoganomics®

The Responsibility of Being Great
Amber Dehn
Yoganomics
July 13, 2010

“I must do something” always solves more problems than “Something must be done.”
-Unknown

If yoga has taught me one thing, it is that dreams do come true. About five years ago, I began taking yoga classes at a beautiful, heated studio in Longmont, Colorado, along the front range of the Rockies. A few months into my new yoga practice, I started to day dream during class; powerful, pleasantly joyful day dreams; of what I wanted to become; of what I wanted to experience. Because the relationship I was in was holding me back, the freedom that I felt during yoga was invigorating. I received these visions during tadasana, shivasana and everything in between. It took me about a year before I realized that all of the amazing things that I saw myself doing, giving and receiving, could actually happen. What I was seeing during yoga class was what I was supposed to be doing – I just hoped it wasn’t too late!

All of these amazing dreams, and more, have happened, and I continue to dream up more, primarily in yoga class. Ah, but with great dreams comes great responsibility. It has been said, time and time again, that those who are not grounded, and let themselves float away on the cloud of spirituality, let their own dreams slip through their fingers without even knowing it. Wishing, dreaming and chanting are not enough. With the responsibility of your dreams come the great need for action; both now and always.

“Responsibility: A detachable burden easily shifted to the shoulders of God, Fate, Fortune, Luck or one’s neighbor. In the days of astrology it was customary to unload it upon a star.” -Ambrose Bierce

With responsibility comes a rush of energy, a intense flow of everything that you want, chances to teach, to lead, to grow. And with that rush, that flow, attention is needed to stay organized, to stay open, to take responsibility for your life. And that can be a lot sometimes, especially when you are just getting started, or staring a whole new chapter in life. But you can do it! We are each so much more powerful than we may think, or even believe, but if we open ourselves up to higher levels of responsibility and organization in life, the flow of chaos brings to us what it is that we need to be doing, sharing and receiving. But let us not fall into the trap of laying off our responsibility on others through blame or complaining. To speak (or gossip) is to release energy. To listen (and to be open) is to receive and grow.

“Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it’s addressed to someone else.” -Ivern Ball

When you hear your dreams speaking to you, know that they can come true. Bigger, deeper, faster, and brighter than you may be able to see right now, the gifts that you were meant to give are ready, right here, right now. The writing on the wall is speaking to you. It is your responsibility to that which has been given to you to do. It is your responsibility to listen, to be open, to grow.

Recently in a yoga class in Telluride, Colorado, a yoga teacher told the class that when we did low push up – Chataranga Dandasana – we were lowering our judgments of others (that’s why it is so hard!). And when we did upward facing dog – Urdhva Mukha Svanasana – we were looking up at the best source of guidance, God or Spirit. And then as we pushed back into doward facing dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana- it was our chance to become balanced… we were taking responsibility. We were breathing, and doing the work. And we listened to the dreams that floated by us, sure to take notice.