How to Identify a Higher Ideal
by Kacee Must, Citizen Yoga Founder and Owner
The symbol of the lotus flower across Hindu, Buddhist and other cultures represents rebirth, purity, awakening, and at the highest level enlightenment. The journey of a lotus flower from seed to flower is the path from darkness and mud to progressive growth following the light under water, to eventual bloom out of the water into the air of a new realm. The path of a seeker is similar. We often start in the mud of life being tossed and turned by our inherited circumstances, and either stay in those circumstances, or ascend through the process of learning, contemplating, and striving, we start to follow a path of light into new dimensions of stability, calm, compassion, and strength.
Setting a higher ideal is a practice that orients you towards the light above the water. It is not an immediate goal that is achieved and there is no one right path to getting there; however, there is a consistent direction–upwards. Though the lotus can often represent the absolute ideal of enlightenment, there is nothing absolute about moving towards a higher ideal. Any steps towards a higher ideal shifts the mind from self to the interconnectedness of Reality. In other words, you receive the boon of the practice as you move upwards in the water of life.
A higher ideal is a desire, a concentrated thought flow that you decide is valuable to pursue; however its quality is at minimum unselfish, eventually selfless. It is for the benefit of the greater community, which helps shift the mind from I, Me, and My to others. This decreases general anxiety because you are not worried about what you are getting from the action, you are doing it because it is the next right thing. That practice brings the mind into the present moment, which is essentially calm and relaxation while in action.
So before you take a new job, make a decision, pursue something in the world, ask yourself how it aligns with the higher ideal in your life. If there is alignment, then pursue without thought of success. Success is a thought of the future. Being in the present, pursuing for the sake of others ultimately is the playbook for a happier, less exhausted, more joyful life.
How do you identify a higher ideal? Usually, we curse the muddy times of our life because they are hard, relentless, and tiring; however, these moments of struggle often lead to future inspirations and aspirations to support others through a similar journey. Take time to reflect on moments that felt the most muddy, how could you have been supported better? What systems were or were not in place for that support? How could you use the wisdom acquired through that time to serve others in similar circumstances?
Citizen Yoga’s higher ideal: Support mental health and prevent suicide through the practice of yoga, building connected community, and sharing the philosophy of yoga.
Today’s prompt:
Journal on your own higher ideal.
The You Matter Yoga Challenge begins today! You can still join us on this 14 day journey.