We live in an era marked by anxiety and depression. A quick Google search yields the following advice: Try to relax and reduce stress, Find ways to learn and be creative, Spend time in nature, Connect with others, Look after your physical health, Try to improve your sleep. While these are all behavioral approaches, I'd like to offer you a yogic perspective to consider, one that involves inner engineering - an approach from within.
The concept of "Ishvara Pranidhana" in Yoga, which can be translated as "surrendering to the Divine" - or you can refer to it as a higher power, the universe, God, Source, Brahman - is one of the three tools of Kriya yoga, the yoga of action. It is also the fifth Niyama - duties directed towards ourselves to build character. When we embrace this concept and practice it daily, it shifts us from a state of stress and anxiety to one of humility and gratitude.
This may be easier said than done for those of us (including myself) who did not grow up with religion but were taught that they are the "makers of their own fate." My worldview was closer to: it is all on you. However, as I've grown older, I've found it easier to understand and practice Ishvara Pranidhana and these are the learnings that led me to understand it:
Firstly, through life experience. When I reflect on my twenties, I realize that whenever I felt anxious or stressed, it was because my egoic mind was in control and I was attached to stories I had created about myself or my life. I was attached to an ideal outcome or idea that ultimately proved to be wrong. However, whenever I surrendered to something bigger than myself, not trying to control, let's call it the universe, and went with the flow of life, everything felt more playful and easy with less resistance. Often, things went better as there was no indecision or procrastination.
When we adopt a broader perspective and recognize that we are just humans who cannot know everything, and develop a trusting relationship with the universe, source, or Brahman - however we may refer to it - we free ourselves from the grip of the ego.
Now, the danger with this concept is that we could simply say, "I am just an insignificant human anyway," and lose our tapas (discipline), become tamasic (lazy), and disconnect from the world.
The key to not feeling small and insignificant, and thus losing our tapas and becoming lazy, is to understand that we are not merely humans inferior to the divine. Rather, we are part of divinity (divinity resides in all of us) - we are connected to that divinity, to the source, residing in our heart-space.
Sometimes, when faced with a problem in life and our minds are anxious and frantic, there is a voice within or from outside that offers a different perspective - one that reassures us that all is okay and that it is part of our growth. It is a voice of compassion, love, understanding, or forgiveness. Surrendering to this part of ourselves - the higher self - is essential. Thus, when we constantly remember who we truly are - small, yet part of the whole divine - narratives inside our minds shift from "What do I want? What can I get or experience?" to "What can I give? How can I serve others?"
This transformation occurs because our higher Self understands that we are all ONE - there is no separation between ourselves, others, or nature. The higher self or heart intelligence provides intuitive advice and direction that benefits all.
Naturally, we begin to devote ourselves to causes greater than ourselves and offer the fruits of our actions to humanity or others. Acting from our heart-space and higher self, rather than from ego, allows us to accomplish much.
We are part of ONENESS - the divine resides within us as well, in our heart-space. So, for me personally, Ishvara Pranidhana - surrender and acceptance - is highly related to living heart-centered. Our heart, connected to collective consciousness, serves not only us but all beings. Therefore, it provides insights that are most beneficial to all, not just ourselves.
For me, Ishvara Pranidhana is the cessation of ego - cultivating a deep and trusting relationship with the universe so that we offer each action and the fruits of our labor, which come from tapas (our self-discipline), to something bigger than us, a greater cause or humanity. This allows our humility, humbleness, and compassion to inspire the actions and efforts we take in the world. Consequently, this affects our Karma, as we are all interconnected, and what goes around comes around, giving us peace of mind.
It transitions us from the egoic mind to the heart space, from wanting to receive to wanting to give, and from short-sightedness to a bird's-eye view, shifting from a small inner world to the big picture. It instills humility in understanding ourselves as small pieces of a vast puzzle. Though we may be small humans, we can indeed accomplish much and move mountains.
For your next yoga practice, try incorporating the following to tap into the essence of "Ishvara Pranidhan":
Begin by grounding yourself and drawing energy from your headspace down to the heart center. Take a moment to observe your thoughts and cultivate awareness of the stories that your egoic mind is telling you. Let go of these stories with kindness, recognizing that your ego is fear-based and operates from the false premise of separation.
The heart intelligence, which always operates from a place of love, embodies a serving mindset. Practicing heart-opening asanas is essential for balancing the heart chakra and allowing heart intelligence to fully function and serve you.
Incorporate plenty of surrendering, bowing, and grounding asanas to cultivate humility during your practice.
Additionally, try incorporating Pranayama with Mantra chanting to remind yourself of who you truly are and detach from the stories your mind creates about yourself. For example, you could use the mantra "So Ham" - I am (the breath/part of divinity/collective consciousness) - to feel humility and understand that without the next inbreath, your life would end in a matter of minutes.
