Leave Em Behind

Our lives are filled with choices, some big, others small. Do we buy this house or that house? Should I have the bolognese or the pesto? In our day to day we make dozens maybe even hundreds of decisions, most of which go unnoticed. It’s in the unawareness that our emotional state can alter our choices sometimes producing negative effects. 

In a state of happiness we often make decisions from an optimistic perspective but can lead to outcomes not expected at the time the decision was made. One who is anxious about flying often doesn’t consider the higher likelihood of an accident while driving. Anticipating potential negative outcomes, one may forgo a risky decision that may considerably alter the success in one’s career. 

Incidental emotions is what I’d like to focus on and is a topic closely linked to karma. Incidental emotions are the emotions we carry from one experience to another. Often those experiences have little to nothing to do with one another. The most practical example is coming home from work. Work can be cognitively and/or physically exhausting, We end up carrying that exhaustion home with us and will often influence the quality of our interactions with the people we encounter. Unfortunately, all too often a bad day at work means a bad day at home. 

Separating the two is a deep and difficult yoga practice. Take note of those difficult days at work, On your commute home take a few moments to fully digest your day and detach from the potential effects it may have on your interactions and decision making.

Create a little mantra to remind yourself that what has been experienced need not determine future experiences. Engage fully in this yoga practice to help create deeper bonds with those you most care about.