The voices within

Mind is up, body stretches, vocal cords let out a glorious yawn, our eyes then open. The curtain lifts and the music begins. What genre is it going to be today? Will it be a soothing melody or a challenging pitch to handle? Will it come and go or will it latch on and persist? What are the places the tune will take us and most importantly what course of behavior and action will it result in?

I have listened and obeyed a wide variety of my inner voices. Some had a dictating tone, others commanding tone but the most hideous of all were the shameful kinds. Some times, they set me on the path of resistant questioning. Other times, I was at full expense of them, left feeling abdicated. For a long time, I wasn’t aware of them. For even longer time, I felt they were all part of me. For the longest time, they were not willing to cut lose. It so happens that the loud ones were the most insecure and the quiet and soft ones were the lightworkers among us. Bitter sweet symphony of life and my yoga practice have taught me to be curious to ALL. Both, the hungry, longing voices and the calm, reassuring ones. The expression “inner roommate in our head” could not describe it any better. I also enjoy “the fiddler in the attic”. With age, I grow wiser and choose more carefully who I invite to join the vocal party in my headspace. I no longer entertain them all. I hear them out but no longer allow them to sleep over. Moving in? No, thank you! I prefer the company of the quiet peacemakers, the most steady voices - voices full of compassion, loving care and sweet whispers. The voices that just know that there is so much more to being that just at the expense of our inner chatter. These voices were born out of hurt and despair, yet they wear the most beautiful coats. I also love the company of the daring voices - voices full of courage, curiosity and those that don’t ever let me question the very fabric of my being. These voices propel me forward, they keep me hopeful and alive.

If we get to pick from a large pool of disguised visitors and protagonists in our head, let’s get picky! I mean really picky. But first, we have to learn that we get to pick! The choice always presents itself with every moment of each day. Someone has to make an imprint and teach us the call is ours to make - a parent, a grand parent, a teacher, a lover, our very own children that mirror us so skillfully. Almost as they try to give us another chance to grow up and overcome our limiting beliefs. The reality is, our initial thoughts are rarely the real us, we are the once on the other side, the receiving, listening end. It is like we have an ongoing business meeting in our head between two key players that are deciding over our fate. No matter how polished the music in your heads might sound, the very first version is rarely to our benefit, it is just the raw and rehearsed impulse and reaction. It is time to clean up out attic, declutter, make space for a new downloading material. Breathe in, move away from mind racing and heart closing. Breathe out, move towards mind stilling and heart opening, my child. The sweet and loving voices are yours to discover. Yours to whisper, hear and receive. Yours to believe and soak your mind and heart with.