Stumble

Take a moment to think about the first time you stepped onto your yoga mat. At the time, did you know what to expect? Did you have something in mind that the practice might bring to you, or were you like me, sitting on the mat, wondering what it was all about. I had no great plans of what the practice of yoga would offer my life, but something drew me to it and so there I was, sitting with all that I was yet to learn. Now picture yourself in this moment, either reading this or as you're sitting, once again on your mat, and visualize all that has transpired on your mat between the first time you were there and now. As I do this, I am blanketed in a thought of pure astonishment as when I began yoga back in the '90s, I had absolutely no idea that I'd be in a place where I'm constantly living from the perspective of yoga.

My thought of the week is based around the word "stumble" because life isn't always graceful. Yet, if you think about stumbling, it has the connotation of some form of forward momentum. It may not be pretty, but at least it's not stagnant energy. 

All of us are walking our own path in this life, some more consciously than others. One of the gems about stepping onto our yoga mat is that it can be a massive catalyst to look deeply at how we are living and in which direction we're pointed. We experience this on our mats constantly, bumping up against things that challenge us that may feel seemingly out of reach or lacking in clarity as to why we're doing what we're doing. It can be a rocky and disruptive journey sprinkled with moments of ease, yet we keep moving forward being driven from a deeper sense of seeking and curiosity.

This week's theme is one of encouragement for us to take that first step into the unknown such as your first yoga experience. One of my favorite quotes by Patrick Overton encapsulates this idea -  "When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly." 

The key is to move forward into what's next, even if you don't have the perfect plan or all the details figured out. The symbolism of the lotus is one of moving through the muck and mire of life, just as the lotus flower is anchored in the bottom of a muddy pond. The water is murky yet despite not knowing exactly where it's going, the lotus bud makes its way toward the surface where it can blossom in all its radiance. As my teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater, says, "May we live like the lotus, at peace in muddied waters".

Our lives are much like that. When we first begin something we often aren't very good at it. I look back to when I first taught group exercise in the '80s and cringe at what I brought to the class. I was a pure aerobics neophyte, stumbling through an hour of huffing and puffing, calf muscles and vocal cords on fire, and then collecting a whopping $15-$25 for my efforts. Thankfully, I didn't know enough to become discouraged and now, some 37 years later and having thousands of classes under my belt, I've gotten quite skilled at teaching to groups. But in the beginning, I was in the muddied waters of not knowing, yet something kept driving me to the surface...toward the light.

Often in the yoga world, when we feel we're blocked or have many obstacles sitting in front of us, we invoke the energy and vibration of the Hindu deity, Ganesha, the beloved elephant-headed god. Ganesha is the "remover of obstacles" and we chant the mantra Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha in order to ignite his energy of opening up our pathway. I have the image of walking behind an elephant, swinging his trunk from side-to-side clearing the way for me to move forward with ease. It's useful at the beginning of new ventures such as opening a business, moving or selling your house, at the start of a new relationship, or when traveling. We connect to the energy to move beyond stagnation in order for things to unfold at the time and speed they are meant to be.

As you sit on your mat, take a moment to acknowledge all that has brought you to this particular point in time. Then, visualize that the mat stretching out in front of you is infinitely long. I imagine that my yoga practice will come to its conclusion, that I'll reach the end of the mat when my final exhale breath leaves my body. Until then...so much magic awaits!