Meditation Moment

from Evince Magazine Feburary 2020

Renovation Reality

by Casey Molloy Davis, RYT Meditation Moment

Last May I graduated from dental hygiene school. That journey was one of the most challenging, exhausting, and rewarding pursuits I have undertaken. During the start of our senior year, our professor presented a TED Talks video on what it means to have grit. To me, grit is the unwavering determination and motivation to press on, regardless of setbacks. It means gritting your teeth and putting one foot in front of the other as you work hard to achieve your goals. Tenacity then, can be seen as a balance between grit and patience. If we are able to be patient in our pursuits, we can cultivate a calmer and kinder inner dialogue. We all have moments of self-doubt, disappointment, and discouragement. Sometimes we feel like we take one step forward and two steps back. Understanding that it is okay for things to take longer to unfold than we had hoped, usually presents a series of events that is ultimately even better for us than our original plan. It is vital that we be tenacious. The pace of life has steadily accelerated over the past few decades, and we have come to expect immediate results. However, if we force progress upon ourselves, we add an element of stress that can only be resolved by simply having patience with the process. Have confidence that things will turn out as they should and view any mishaps that disrupt the process as learning opportunities. There are always opportunities to practice grit and patience as we become more tenacious. If we are able to implement this perspective, then we will appreciate and be proud of our efforts, and the result will be that much more gratifying. The poses and breathing practiced in yoga are intended to prepare the body to sit comfortably in meditation. Photo by Clark Davis. We’re