Have you ever had a yoga teacher place that prop in just the right way that you melted into the pose? Or perhaps a vocal cue that brought your body into alignment? Ever been carrying something, struggling with a door, or trying to maneuver around something and someone helped in just the right way? Or maybe a friend said the right thing exactly when you needed it. When we receive support, we know it. Sometimes we didn't even know that we needed it, but when it arrives, it changes the entire outcome.
Having support can show up in many ways. It might be something we can see, like a yoga prop, or an action. It can be something that we point to, that we recognize on sight. It can be obvious, something others can see in action. It can been seen in a way that others say, Ah - they are getting help from that thing or that person.
But it can also be unseen. It can be a practice that we keep to ourselves that helps us cope. It can also be something that is intangible, like someone else's love for you.
And however it shows up, we can choose to accept it or not. Whether we realized we needed it or not. Sometimes our ego gets in our way and says, no I don't need help with this. We judge ourselves and apply words like strength and will power to justify not asking for help, like we are somehow less than if we accept. But if we offer help to someone, do we then see them in a light that is less than? Chances are, no we don't. We see someone we care for, or someone in need that could go a bit further if they had a little help.
We need to recognize when we need support, both seen and unseen, and be willing to accept it. We need to invite those practices that give us support, whether it is mindful eating, meditation, or a practice to soothe our nervous system. Even on the days when we think we need to accomplish XYZ and feel like we can't take the time. Without the support of that prop from the yoga teacher, we would not have felt the fullness of the pose. Without help at the door, it would have taken longer to accomplish our task and in the end possibly damaged the things we were carrying.
Receiving support helps us to be more effective in our life. It boost our reserves and gives us resilience. It makes us stronger, even if in the moment our ego feels weaker.
What are the ways you find support? Both the seen and unseen? Perhaps even the known and unknown.
"You can't achieve anything entirely by yourself. There's a support system that is a basic requirement of human existence. To be happy and successful on earth, you just have to have people that you rely on."
~Michael Schur~