Skincare, the Bhagavad Gita, and Right Action

Recently while I was on vacation a verse from the Bhagavad Gita came to me with more clarity and broader application than ever before. Before this starts sounding kind of pompous, I want to share that this new clarity came to me while I was thinking about consistency in a night time skincare routine. 

What I was realizing was that there is no such thing as inaction. Life is moving, my skin is either getting more crinkly or getting straightened out by using face tape while I sleep. I know both of these will happen. I can do something or nothing, but there is change over time regardless.

The verse in this sacred book that came to me talks about action, inaction, and right action and is found in the instructions Krishna (as the charioteer and the Lord in disguise) is giving to Arjuna who is finding himself very reluctant to go into battle even as it is becoming more and more apparent that he has to.

Something so miraculous to me is how the Divine can use the simplest daily things as reference points for deep philosophical connection and redirection. In Human Design I am a 1/4 Manifesting Generator which means I am multi-passionate and am drawn to learn about a lot of (seemingly) random things. Even now with a decent amount of experience being alive (ahem 49 years),  it still feels like an astounding occurrence as these reference points emerge to bring a greater context to life and connection to others. When I was younger and writing things that rhymed, I once wrote down, "the Magic and mundane are one and the same." It's kind of embarrassing, but if I'm honest, I still believe and see evidence of that all of the time. 

I’ve really found that when you make space to listen, you will see signs and receive messages that make the next steps clearer, but that's not the hard part. The hard part comes in the action of walking forward in trust and surrender.

This part of Yoga is called Kriya Yoga. It is made up of Tapas (discipline and effort, purification through fire), Svadhyaya (self-study, reflection), and Isvara- Pranidhana (surrender of your efforts, and Trust in the Divine). It is one of the parts of Yoga -philosophy-put-into-practice that speaks most directly to my heart. 

Sometimes the way you need to go and the "doing" you are called to do is out of your comfort zone. I would say for me this has almost always been true. The amazing thing that happens is that after awhile of being uncomfortable and following along anyway, my trust muscle has grown. After awhile it is impossible to miss that this life is happening whether I take action or not, step up or shy away, try to cling and control or surrender and allow myself to be guided. It also must be said that the life I have been given in exchange for the one I had imagined is way more magical. That is yet to be determined with my skincare. 

Years ago, a friend suffered an enormous loss. We were talking and she said that it was painful in every single moment but, “I just keep doing the next best thing.” When life is painful or the way forward is unclear, living our Dharma (purposeful work) is just like that- individual steps going forward in trust. This is right action, doing the next best thing in faith, surrendering the outcome, and listening for the magic in the mundane. It’s there and there is no such thing as inaction. 

Cheering you on, 

Christy