Yogini one minute - Dog catcher the next!

Yesterday morning, with the smell of incense from my alter still in the air and sound of the Gayatri mantra still swirling around in my head I'm getting ready for the day ahead.  I go out to the backyard to bring the dog in and notice, with a sinking feeling in my stomach, that someone (we don't know who, another Nicholson family mystery) had left the gate open and yes.... Pumpkin is on the loose!

One minute I'm a yogini meditating on my cushion and the next I'm a dog catcher!  My how quickly things change! 

So there I am,  I'm dressed for work and trampling through my neighbors swampy yards with chicken nuggets in one hand and the leash in the other. My son following behind crying because he's afraid something bad is going to happen to his dog. 

I hear him before I actually see him.  He's a beagle so just imagine his howls as he gets his sights on a neighborhood cat!  The cat gives him a good whack and runs up the tree.  I'm thinking I got him now because as long as that cat stays in that tree he's not going to move! I step closer to the tree and find myself
knee deep in mud!!  Are you kidding me??  Where did the bliss of my morning sadhana go??

Anyway,  the cat ran off and Pumpkin followed.  This was going to be a long day!!

I'm trying to accept the fact that every challenge has a lesson to be learned, therefore, I'm contemplating what the lesson was yesterday?  (Aside from pad locking the gate)

Here's what I've come up with.  At first glance I thought "This damn dog ruined the blissful feeling I got from my practice!  It's impossible to find peace when you have a bad dog!!" -- That's not it.  

The lesson was about impermanence.  Everything changes therefore no need to identify with your situation.
One minute you are sitting blissfully in meditation and the next chasing your crazy dog.  Just the same, one minute you're experiencing some frustration or anger - the next minute you are sitting blissfully in meditation. 
Everything changes, all the time.  It's easy to remember that when some situation takes you out of a good mood.  The trick is remembering that when you're in a negative mood that it too won't last. 

We are not our minds......  We are not our emotions....... Don't identify yourself with them...... 
You are not a yogini sitting in meditation nor are you a dog catcher.  You are the Atman.  That's that part of you that is connected to the Divine.  That's the part that never changes.  That's the part that's always blissful.
It's always there for us.  We just need to recognize that when we are in a negative state of mind.  Use your mantra to connect to the Divine -- where it's always blissful.  That state of peace is always available to us. We know the way.

Don't worry, Pumpkin is home safe and sound -- until the next time.