By Marieke, The Netherlands
Table of Contents
The beginning of shifting from doing to being
Every day, I take another step away from constant doing and closer to simply being, surrendering to the happening of life. It’s not always an easy task, but it’s well worth the effort. Empowered by daily Yoga practice and the guidance of my Indian Yoga teacher Vijay Gopala – also known as Sage ViGo, founder of Yoga Gita – I’m learning to be with life itself. And when it happens – whoohoo! – an inner peace arises, and life becomes a real joy.
In his words in this 3 minute video: “Is there anything to manifest? Life in the happening zone”, Sage ViGo explains that we are stuck in the belief that we have to do something in life. And with that deep-rooted belief, we’ve become Human Doings. We think we have to manifest something, while in the purest form of living, there is nothing to be done: “Everything is just happening,” Sage ViGo says.
Although I’m far from being a 100% skilled Human Being, I deeply recognise the value of being over doing. I’d love to take you along on this transformative journey – from reacting to allowing – because it’s such a gift. Don’t get me wrong: you will still act and do, but your actions will arise from the platform of being. And that shift makes a world of difference. It brings balance to both your inner life and outer life situations.
Curious how you can align with this natural happening of life, rather than being trapped in constant doing? Read on!
What keeps us from just being? Let’s find out
If those four words are true, “Everything is just happening”, then why…
- Do I feel the pressure to have a good job and find something meaningful to do in life?
- Is my to-do list endless, and why am I always juggling at least two things at once?
- Do I feel the need to make the “right” decisions and live life in the “right” way?
- Do I carry the pressure to succeed as a daughter, sister, friend, colleague, and partner?
- Is it so hard to surrender to the natural unfolding of life?
- Am I striving towards a life that simply happens and what has kept me from doing so?
- How can I surrender more to life’s daily creation and what might that bring me?
Maybe you recognise yourself in one of these questions. Or maybe your mind has already added a few more of its own. Let’s explore together why we are so deeply anchored in this state of doing, why it’s essential to create space for the happening zone, and what it could mean for you to live life more from a state of being.
Creating the space where being begins
Born in a society where doing and achieving outweigh simply being, finding space to let things happen is rare. Our agendas are overflowing with work commitments and social obligations. The flow of information and external input is continuous. Every hour, our lives are planned and controlled. And if it isn’t by external social pressure, many of us have inner voices constantly directing our actions.
It’s a reality in Western society that inner or outer space to let life happen is difficult to find. And although we often ignore life’s natural unfolding, it’s striking that many of our most vital bodily functions – the ones that keep us alive – happen on their own. Breathing, blood flow, heartbeat, temperature regulation, digestion – all these processes occur without our active involvement. They happen whether we like it or not. In fact, for most of these processes, it’s even better if we don’t interfere and allow them to happen naturally.
Just like our breath and heartbeat, most of life flows best when we stop trying to control it. This is where doing ends and being begins.
From Human Doing to Human Being: A deeply conditioned journey
You can’t make grass grow faster by pulling the blades. The same goes for life. To live a healthy life, it is crucial to let life do the job while we are simply being present with its unfolding. When we do, holistic health will follow naturally.
Yet in many ways, we keep ‘pulling at the blades to make them grow faster.’ Most of the time, we act more as Human Doings than Human Beings.
This over-identification with doing makes us see ourselves as our bodies (the platform of action), and leads us to believe we are our bodies, our thoughts, and our sensory experiences. This identification with the doing zone brings a “getting mentality”: If I do this, I’ll get that. In today’s world, that’s often seen as the definition of a successful life.
It starts young: if a child eats everything on its plate or behaves in a preferred way, it receives a compliment or smile. Later, studying hard is expected to lead to a good job. The examples are endless. Capitalism has further reinforced this getting-and-doing mindset, turning society into a transaction-based life instead of an expression-based one.
Because we’re so busy doing, we forget that the body is, above all, a beautiful vehicle that carries our soul – our true beingness. It houses something beyond the body, beyond thought, experience, and action. It holds that which allows us to move in harmony with the happening of life itself. When that insight sinks in – that the body is a vessel for being, not a tool for endless doing – the transformation truly begins.
How to balance being and doing?
In Western society, constant movement has become the norm. So much so that if you tell friends or colleagues you need some time and space for yourself, there’s a good chance they’ll ask if you’re okay or assume you’re on the edge of burnout. Time for silence, pause, or contemplation is almost non-existent. It feels like a continuous race. And if we’re not busy with work, other “important things to do” quickly fill the space.
Many of these things are rooted in achieving and doing, and rarely in surrendering and being. But being doesn’t mean doing nothing. It’s not about stepping away from life or becoming passive. It’s a different kind of engagement, one that begins from presence, not pressure.
Society often values people based on their actions and accomplishments. And because we all want to feel valued, we try our best to meet those expectations, often choosing well-planned, self-driven actions over letting life unfold naturally.
So how can we start shifting this pattern – not through more effort, but by building awareness – while staying active, present, and responsible?
A small practice can help. It only takes two minutes and gives you a taste of what it feels like to return to presence without needing to do more. Take a moment, and explore:
Ishvara Pranidhana: Where my inner shift started unfolding
My transformation began with two whispered Sanskrit words. Before diving deeper into this topic, I want to share what made me walk the path from doing to being.
A few years ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with the words “Ishvara Pranidhana” in my mind. Early the next morning, as soon as I opened my eyes, the memory of that nightly revelation resurfaced. I was grateful I had written the words down phonetically in a notebook which was lying on my nightstand – otherwise, I wouldn’t have remembered them.
From what I had scribbled, I guessed the words must be Sanskrit. Still in my pyjamas, I reached for the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, which had been left untouched for years, almost as if they had been waiting for this moment. After a brief search, I found the meaning of my nightly inspiration. Tears filled my eyes as I read the definition:
Sutra I.23 ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा ॥२३॥
Ishvara-praṇidhānād-vā
Success is also attained by those who surrender to God (Ishvara, the Divine Being).
Raised Roman Catholic, I had stepped away from the church as it no longer aligned with my values in the way it was practised. So, for me, Ishvara is not “God” in the Christian sense, but rather Divinity, Life, or Creation – that which cannot be seen, but through which everything happens effortlessly.
With that in mind, I would translate Sutra I.23 as:
Success in life is realised by those who can surrender to the divine flow of life.
Being successful in life through Ishvara Pranidhana
Constantly striving to achieve future goals or avoid perceived failures from the past consumes a great deal of mental space, inner peace, and energy. When our focus is on what was or what might be, we miss the present moment – the sacred now, the only moment we truly have. After all, even thoughts about the past or future can only happen now.
By occupying our minds with what has been or what might come, we lose connection with life as it unfolds in front of us. When we fixate on a single thing, such as analyzing a past experience, we shut down the possibility of being present with everything. Yet life offers endless possibilities, if we are open to it, if we create the space to embrace it.
We can cultivate that openness by letting go of control, avoiding over-analysis, reducing unnecessary thought, and simply doing less. When we embrace silence, stillness, and surrender to the present moment, we create space for life to move through us.
Sutra 1.23 of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, the philosophy were Yoga Gita’s teachings are based on, speaks about “Ishvara Pranidhanad-va”, which can be translated as “Dedication or surrender to the Divine brings success in life.”
This concept of success stands in stark contrast to the transactional, goal-driven version celebrated by society. Instead of being based on achievement or outcome, this kind of success brings inner peace, holistic health, fulfilling relationships, and true direction. That, to me, is real success!
Now that we’ve explored a more sustainable view of success, and what it can bring to your life, you may be wondering: That sounds great… but how do I actually get there?
Finding inspiration in nature
Let’s try to answer the question “How can I reach this happening state?” by taking a closer look at nature. As Human Beings, we are nature – we are not separate from it – yet we seem to be the only species trying to control it through our actions.
With that in mind, let’s take nature as our inspiration and reflect on the growth of an apple. What does the apple do, other than let things happen? When the tree is in bloom, the future apple doesn’t worry, “If the sun doesn’t shine tomorrow, I’ll ripen more slowly, and my entire plan to become a delicious apple pie by the end of September will be ruined,” or, “Last year there was a big hail storm that destroyed nearly all the blossoms, maybe I should move my tree to another location to ensure a better harvest.”
If apples acted like this, we’d laugh and find it silly. Yet as humans, we behave like “silly apples”, constantly trying to control our path based on past experiences or future expectations. We struggle to let life unfold naturally, often feeling the urge to interfere and make “doing” our master.
But taking time to observe an apple tree can shift our perspective. The process of becoming an apple – from blossom to ripe fruit – just happens. In a rainy year, the apples may grow larger and juicier; in a drier year, they may be smaller and more concentrated in flavor. Neither is better; it simply is. It happened. No apple complains, protests, or burns out. They simply let life happen.
When we learn to be like the apple – ripening in our own time and way – we step into the being-state.
It may seem a bit of a funny metaphor, the apple teaches a deep truth. When daily life feels rushed, our pace quickens or the mind grows noisy, a simple practice can help reconnecting us to the essence of being.
The Wise Apple Practice invites you to pause and check in. Who would’ve thought even an apple could be your guide on the path of self-reflection?😄
Aligning with the flow of life
Of course, we aren’t apples, but adopting a few more “apple-like” qualities might do us good: knowing when to act and when to align with life’s marvelous unfolding. It’s not about stopping all activity, standing still, or sitting endlessly in meditation. Aligning with the flow of life doesn’t mean becoming lethargic or passive. Instead, it invites a vibrant, conscious beingness, one that brings about blissful actions and a deep sense of ease in daily life.
Regular practice of Pranayama and Meditation cultivates silence, inner peace, balance and the ability to surrender to life’s natural rhythm. This, in turn, leads to expressions inspired by life itself, rather than those driven by societal norms or expectations. Yoga Gita Ashram’s on- and offline programmes offer practical tools, techniques, and inspiration to nurture this state of alignment, with life’s flow, and I try to follow them as much as I can.
During one of the retreats I attended – while sitting at the riverside – the nightly words that had come to me years ago resurfaced once again: Ishvara Pranidhana, simply surrendering to the divine flow of life. A simple, yet profound message. As I contemplated these words, I noticed a bamboo leaf falling into the river, instantly surrendering to the water’s current. And in that moment, I realised: the most meaningful experiences in my life weren’t the ones I orchestrated or tried to control – and believe me, I’m a master at attempting to control life. No, the most valuable moments were the ones life itself offered.
And while those moments were not always pleasant – to put it mildly – they were more than worth it. They brought me life-changing insights, lasting transformation, genuine joy, and true inner growth.
Revolutionise into a Human Being
And this is where the revolution truly begins, from effort to ease, from doing to being. In the purest form of life, there is nothing to do – everything is simply happening. The more you align to this happening zone, the more effortlessly life will unfold and a holistic health state arises. So let go of the pressure to always do the “right” thing, the endless to-do list, and the need to succeed in every role.
Instead, next time you’re caught in overthinking or rushing through your day, pause and ask:
“Am I being a wise apple… or a silly one?”
Let the question bring a smile and return to daily life carrying the being-state along.
And not to forget; Step onto your yoga mat – be courageous – revolutionise from a “Human Doing” back into a Human Being.
In the end, the hours spent on your mat will repay you with space and time. Time, for example, to bake and enjoy a healthy, homemade, self-grown, and freshly harvested – delicious apple pie…
And remember:
Being a little more like an apple each day allows life to flow in its most natural, joyful way.
About the author
The emergence of the first blossom in spring is a delightful spectacle to me – beautiful, fascinating; year after year, moment after moment. Each bud knows exactly what it must do to become a perfect flower or a delicious fruit. And then, with complete surrender, it lets go and becomes one with Mother Earth again.
Sometimes, I wish that, as a human, I also knew in such detail which movements I need to make. At times, my movements seem to follow a clear path; at other times, it is my rational mind and emotions that appear to determine my dance of life.
Within every person resides the same enormous potential as in a flower bud. I would love to see every person fully blossom, surrendering just like the spring blossom – so that everyone shines -and in doing so, we make the world a more beautiful place together.
That’s why I created blossomYou.nl, a space dedicated to supporting your journey towards unfolding your full potential through art and expression.
Fully blossoming, how do we do that as humans? That is a good question. In my personal search for the art of living, nature, yoga, spirituality, and the arts continuously inspire me to find movements that bring energy, self-awareness, and direction.
Let’s blossom together and live in peace.
All love,
Marieke
