Order Of Operations (O3)
Everything has its good time. Every dog has her good day. When this can inform the way you interact in the world, with yourself and others, you tap into something I am calling the Order Of Operations (O3). Like trioxygen, that protect us from the toxins in the atmosphere, this might sound familiar.
In Math class, Order of Operations is one of the first things you learn after mastering single-step equations. The Order of Operations is how you organize what to do first within a multi-step equation so that the sequence allows for the right answer, in layman's terms. Exponents, Roots, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction is the order in math. This happens with programming and language too.
When you tap into the fact that everything happens at the right time, and that you can sequence some of this to your advantage, you open to your influence on HOW things unfold. You take the steps in the order that takes some of the ambiguity out of life. Some, I said. Some.
Let’s make this practical. In a yoga practice, there are poses you can not or should not do until certain parts are long, strong or warm enough. If you try to push into these, “jumping” over your warm up, you can hurt yourself. This, to most of us, is the “wrong” answer. Though we can argue the lesson is well learned, and thus not wrong at all, we could have had more control over this detrimental outcome.
Or say, a co-worker tells you that your boss is leaving the company. You have been vying for his job for some time now, so you get excited. You start telling everyone about the opportunity that is before you, how you are going to have this awesome office and great pay raise, before you know if the rumor you heard is true. When the boss does not leave, you get upset, learning that he will be leaving, but in a couple years, for retirement. Here, creating disease within yourself for no reason, as the opportunity may be, but is not at this time, yet. To have more say, you could have asked the boss or Human Resources. You could have become an observer, eyes open to the signs that are sure to come when you seek to see. You could have taken the time to pray as opposed to run your mouth
Myself, I have not followed the O3 on many occasions, leaving myself choking for oxygen. I have followed my emotion instead of the proper sequence for the equation. I have stepped out on something I was sure would happen, telling everyone about my book or my attendance at an event before even finding a publisher or a sub to cover me in my stead. I have told people about workshops that I will teach before even pitching the idea to my employer. I’ve left relationships, only to return to them for the real lesson, the right answer: there is no running away from myself.
Not every equation has multiplication to contend to, right? I can not give you a step by step guide like math can. However, I can tell you that within life, the more present you are with yourself, the better choices you make as a result.
You can practice this in meditation, on your mat, or in your interactions with others as a personal practice. When you want to get up and leave, when you don't like the teacher’s style, when you don’t like the way you feel, stay to see why, and then.... When you want to speak about your problems with everyone you meet or you continue to feel a particular feeling within the body, take a moment to breathe into it instead of talk first, and see what reveals itself.
Commit to yourself, utilize your influence, and protect yourself from the toxins within and without. It is natural for us like O3 to protect (be proactive instead of reactive) and as a result to discover the best sequence of steps to meet our desires head on in its appropriate good ole dog-day time. You will know the Order of Operations when you stay present with yourself.
You got this! Only you can do this for you!
Sat Nam
In Math class, Order of Operations is one of the first things you learn after mastering single-step equations. The Order of Operations is how you organize what to do first within a multi-step equation so that the sequence allows for the right answer, in layman's terms. Exponents, Roots, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction is the order in math. This happens with programming and language too.
Let’s make this practical. In a yoga practice, there are poses you can not or should not do until certain parts are long, strong or warm enough. If you try to push into these, “jumping” over your warm up, you can hurt yourself. This, to most of us, is the “wrong” answer. Though we can argue the lesson is well learned, and thus not wrong at all, we could have had more control over this detrimental outcome.
Or say, a co-worker tells you that your boss is leaving the company. You have been vying for his job for some time now, so you get excited. You start telling everyone about the opportunity that is before you, how you are going to have this awesome office and great pay raise, before you know if the rumor you heard is true. When the boss does not leave, you get upset, learning that he will be leaving, but in a couple years, for retirement. Here, creating disease within yourself for no reason, as the opportunity may be, but is not at this time, yet. To have more say, you could have asked the boss or Human Resources. You could have become an observer, eyes open to the signs that are sure to come when you seek to see. You could have taken the time to pray as opposed to run your mouth
Myself, I have not followed the O3 on many occasions, leaving myself choking for oxygen. I have followed my emotion instead of the proper sequence for the equation. I have stepped out on something I was sure would happen, telling everyone about my book or my attendance at an event before even finding a publisher or a sub to cover me in my stead. I have told people about workshops that I will teach before even pitching the idea to my employer. I’ve left relationships, only to return to them for the real lesson, the right answer: there is no running away from myself.
How can you use the O3 method daily since situations calls for a unique sequence?
Not every equation has multiplication to contend to, right? I can not give you a step by step guide like math can. However, I can tell you that within life, the more present you are with yourself, the better choices you make as a result.
When it comes to creating consciously, like O3 allows protection from some of life's contagions, you can protect yourself by focusing on the right step at the right time, for optimal possibility. The more you recognize the distractions that call you away from yourself and decided not to partake, but instead, take a breath and observe, the better.
You can practice this in meditation, on your mat, or in your interactions with others as a personal practice. When you want to get up and leave, when you don't like the teacher’s style, when you don’t like the way you feel, stay to see why, and then.... When you want to speak about your problems with everyone you meet or you continue to feel a particular feeling within the body, take a moment to breathe into it instead of talk first, and see what reveals itself.
Commit to yourself, utilize your influence, and protect yourself from the toxins within and without. It is natural for us like O3 to protect (be proactive instead of reactive) and as a result to discover the best sequence of steps to meet our desires head on in its appropriate good ole dog-day time. You will know the Order of Operations when you stay present with yourself.
You got this! Only you can do this for you!
Sat Nam
