Some of you may know that I’m in the process of opening a new studio. It’s ridiculously exciting, and I’m in love with the space and with my neighborhood. However, from construction issues, to permits and zoning, all issues that are out of my control, one thing after another has tested my patience. It’s been a perfect lesson in how the world doesn’t just become unicorns, rainbows and puppy dogs once we start meditating, and it inspired me to share some of my thoughts on how Vedic meditation has helped me to keep it calm, cool, collected, and PERSPECTED during this process.

CALM. No matter what happens in the outside world, when we have the experience of transcending our thoughts, 20 minutes, twice a day, and contacting the source of bliss and love (quantum physics calls it the unified field), things that used to seem like a big deal just aren’t. We can access bliss on the regular. There’s an underlying sense of calm that pervades everything we do, and we can call upon it when there are bumps in the road.

COOL. We all have something called adaptation energy. It allows us to adapt to demands that are placed upon us every day. We have a set amount, which is mostly replenished by sleep, eating well, and self-care. When we run out of adaptation energy, we snap. The good news: when we practice Vedic meditation, we get 2-5 times more rest than any point in a night’s sleep. This rest gives us heaps of adaptation energy, so we can embrace and adapt to all of these demands. Without acting like a crazy person.

COLLECTED. The sensory memories of stress are embedded in our physiology. Think of the last time you heard a song on the radio that brought back memories of a breakup, made you sad, or made your heart beat faster. That wasn’t the song. It was the stress buried inside of you. All day, every day, these stress memories subconsciously use up our adaptation energy. Think of it like a cell phone on roaming mode. If it scans for service long enough, it runs out of battery and stops working. Vedic meditation is not just a bandaid: it actually purifies our body of these stresses. Less stresses inside the physiology = more battery power.

PERSPECTED. Yes, I made that word up. But, I stand by it! Here’s the deal: everything in life is happening for our greatest evolution and growth. Even if it doesn’t make sense in the moment, everything is exactly as it is supposed to be. Resist these changes, or try to control them? It feels horrible. Embrace them? Then we are ready for the even better things that life brings our way. Life becomes less of ‘why are x and y things happening to me?’, and more of ‘these things are happening. For all reasons. How can I be ready for the new opportunities that are coming?’.

Don’t get me wrong. I can’t WAIT for my studio to be up and running. Annnnd, I’m not perfect. But, in the meantime, I sit, twice a day for 20 minutes, and continue the practice that has given me the tools to embrace change and make my life less reactive, more connected, and filled with love.