Tuesday

 Tuesday Daily Reflection – Forgiveness and Inner Peace

I rose at 4:44 this morning, and by 4:50 I was already on my yoga mat. My practice has been growing more intense lately. Even though my back feels tight and my body is in pain, I sense that something is opening within me. So, I begin my yoga anyway—with gratitude.

During my practice, Ogun came into my mind. Ogun, in Yoruba tradition, is the Orisha of iron, strength, and transformation—one who clears the path and gives power to endure. I greeted him in gratitude, feeling his presence in my journey.

After yoga, I jogged to the synagogue for service. The readings were from Timothy and St. Paul, speaking of the miracles of Christ. They reminded me of the power of faith and discipline. From there, I kept running. My practice of meditation, overnight yoga, and long-distance running has taught me much about forgiveness. There were times it took me from sunrise to sunset to finish 52 miles, yet in those miles I learned patience, surrender, and compassion. Forgiveness has become my nature.

Through meditation, I healed my relationship with my father, whom I haven’t seen since 1984, yet now we are close friends. I forgave my mother, who passed in 1994, and even released childhood trauma—like when I was five and there was a shooting in England, and my mother pulled my sister close as I ran into the bathroom. Meditation carried me back to that memory, but instead of pain, I connected with love.

Even though I sleep in a park today, I live in peace like a Buddha. Six years of healing through miles of running, countless hours of yoga, meditation, and reading have brought me here. Discipline and forgiveness open doors no pain can close.

Nirvana is reachable. I never thought I would live with this much peace, but it’s here—and it’s one of the reasons I spend so much time alone. My dreams are bigger now. When people tell me about jobs, I don’t even want to hear it. That thinking feels too small for the path I’m walking.

Today in my meeting, we read a book that reminded me of my yogic journey. Self-mastery is hard for others to understand, but I accept that. Nobody I know has done the kind of work I’ve done—years of yoga, meditation, running, discipline. I say that humbly, but with gratitude.

I’ve also noticed something about our culture: when rich people stress, they drink. When poor people stress, they drink. When we celebrate, we drink. When we grieve, we drink. I’ve stepped out of that cycle. I don’t live there anymore. I live in peace.

That doesn’t mean inner peace is easy. Mine came through sleepless nights, tears, self-acceptance, and learning to control my emotions. Inner peace is possible, but only if you are honest with yourself. You can’t fake it, you can’t lie to yourself, and you can’t find it by pretending everything is okay.

Forgiveness is at the heart of peace. But before you forgive anyone else, you must first forgive yourself. If you can’t forgive yourself—whether you see yourself as the victim or not—it will be impossible to forgive others. Inner peace begins within.

These are the lessons I’ve learned through pain, endurance, and prayer. Today, I live them in gratitude.

Peace.

—Yoruba Yogi