Please hold....

The ebb and flow of life. We live for the highs. Love when things go our way. When the universe seems to hear our every thought and answers it better than we even asked for. It is the valleys, the moments of stagnation and holds. It tests our patience, it refines who we are and what we stand for if we are willing. It is hard to be in that space. We get tired, restless and wonder when things will change. It is in those times that we learn the most, we set goals, say things will change. What happens when you are put on hold, stuck with no escape?

There is no way to remain the way you are now: you either become more rigid and crystallize, or you break out of patterns and transform. In yoga, you never achieve a pose, you start to find out how a posture works, you work at that and then continue to break out of old habits and discover better ones. Our bodies change, mind changes; we change. The pose never changes, we change in the pose. We change in this world. We develop to the pose and find ourselves awakened to the body, mind and spirit of each asana and to each situation in our life. 

I firmly embrace this philosophy that we are always changing. With that said there is a space that we must hold, embrace the stagnant movement, feel secure in that space and then move forward. Holding in the asana practice builds strength, challenges the mind and breath. You must develop attention, focus, edge-playing, levers and lines of energy in order to fully grasp a pose. Even then, you must continue to practice, to grow on the mat, to live a life that embodies growth and change even in a stagnant place. If I am not willing to change in the times of holding, why would I change when things are flowing?

We all have a "limp" that keeps us from our full potential. Find what your limp is in the hold. What hurts, why are we irritated and miserable. Fix it! Then embrace that all good things are coming when you live with arms open, heart open and eyes fixed upon your goals!

Love_Me

I feel blessed to have so much love in my life. To be loved, to give my love to others and to see it all around me. To know that when one of us suffers, we all suffer. Love is a connection that we feel on different levels. It all is commonly rooted in compassion. To be genuine and to show your true self without ego or attachment.

Do you love yourself?

That might be my greatest lesson of this year, to love myself. It might be the hardest thing for me to do. To turn my attention away from others, away from giving and to turn it on myself and receive. I now love doing things for myself, like cleaning my house, washing the dishes and taking a long bath. I love going to dinner with myself, I love who I am. I love all of my quirky habits, that I am not a copy of anyone else and that I have taken this time to really get to know who I am. I know that in doing this it has helped me to discover what I need and look for in friends, in a partnership, in a relationship.  I know what I am good at, what I lack and when I just need time alone to give back to me. When I am at my best, it makes me a better vessel in which to give and to love.

I ask of all that read this. What kind of love are you sharing with others? Do you support people in this journey of life, through the joy and the pain? Or do you compete with others to win an endless race and constantly exude hatred and bitterness? Life is so much better when you can show yourself and others compassion. We are all walking the same path of life and it helps to know that there is someone near who does love you and care for you.

If you love someone, say it. There is no shame, only joy in knowing that this connection exists and we feel it.

The children of Adam are limbs of one body

Having been created of one essence.

When the calamity of time afflicts one limb

The other limbs cannot remain at rest.

If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others

You are not worthy to be called by the name of "man"

-Sa'di