Embracing Life’s Twists: A Journey of Radical Acceptance

Resistance to the concept was probably a lesson in itself.

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Fifteen years ago, in a yoga class, the concept of “radical acceptance” first crossed my path. Tara Brach’s book on the topic was referenced along with this powerful idea: “Radical acceptance is the willingness to experience ourselves and our life as it is.”

At the time, I hadn’t fully embraced the full extent of what a yoga practice could offer. I believed I could cherry-pick what poses and concepts resonated with me, without approaching the others with curiosity. So, I quickly decided that radical acceptance didn’t sit well with my strategy-inspired, goal-setting mindset. I saw it as giving up. Not for me. 

Little did I know, my resistance to the concept of radical acceptance was probably a lesson in itself. 

But life had lessons in store for me, ones that would chip away at my resistance to the concept. Slowly and ungracefully, I began to understand. Radical acceptance wasn’t about passivity; it was about wisdom. It meant relating to life from a more compassionate, wiser place when observing the layers and complexities within most situations. Embracing acceptance meant facing uncomfortable truths, quickly followed by emotions I’d much rather push away: sadness, loss, and grief.

Acceptance didn’t come radically. I’m still eagerly waiting for that day. But I started to warm up to the challenge of accepting circumstances as they were, not as I wished them to be. Soon, I learned to lean into acceptance with less resistance. I learned to tend to the emotions that surfaced when resistance faded. I accepted that some paths don’t lead where we hoped, and that was okay. Not comfortable. Not desirable. Not what I wished for. But still okay. As I did, my internal world grew just a little more peaceful.

I learned the work of radical acceptance extends beyond circumstances. It applies to our thoughts and emotions too. I had to accept that certain thoughts were unhelpful, especially those that fit with others’ values and not my own. Those thoughts came with the belief that I could control every outcome one way or another. That goal-setting mindset was learning a thing or two about the skill of discernment amongst the complexities of life.

Lately, I’ve been revisiting the work of radical acceptance as I learn to sit with a new wave of emotions. It still takes intentionality to open up to uncomfortable emotions, remembering not to judge them or worry about their permanence. I trust they’ll dissipate with time. Radical acceptance remains a journey, but its value is clear. It is teaching me to navigate life’s twists and turns with less resistance, reminding me that acceptance isn’t resignation; it’s wisdom in action.

Picture of Shradha Cripe

Shradha Cripe

Shradha Cripe began a steady yoga practice in 2010. With a lot on her plate – work, grad school, and motherhood – she began to look forward to and make time for the brief respite on her mat. As life continued, so did her practice. It transformed from respite to devotion. Again and again, her mat brought her back to herself, helping her connect, regain strength, and find calm and stillness. Eager to give back to a practice that gave her so much, she completed her 200-hour teacher training in Spring 2020 and is currently pursuing her 300-hour certification.

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