Scary Monsters

People fear their gods
because of the way that they themselves
treat insects.

Yoga Evolution

I stepped into a "yoga" class
and found my self standing
in a small circular room.

Pointing, the instructor said
“There's a hallway.
Stand straight and walk to the end of it
See what you find there
If it's comfortable
you can lean into the wall that you encounter
Over time, as you learn to push with finesse
you'll find that it's not as rigid or affixed
as it may initially seem.”
After a few breaths
I was summoned back to the room.
“There, another hallway.
Go. Push.”
For a few breaths.
And so on ...

I explored many hallways
and learn when and how to push
and when not to.

But it became evident
that the hallways were really
just fabrications
nothing more than lines
taped on the floor.

I saw that I was actually in the middle of a vast room
encircled within a wavy, wiggly, wandering wall.
As I moved one part of the boarder
it made neighboring sections easier to reorient.
As I explored the “in-betweens”
I began to feel the interconnections
of all movements
of all being

So much is left unexplored
when excursions are confined to the spokes
of designated hallways

I left most of the tape lines down
and still investigate their halls
here and there
I adjusted a few
Added some new
And stick them down for others, too

As well thought out as they may be
the prescribed postures are still
essentially arbitrary

No longer, am I bound
to adhere to others' instructions
No longer, do I feel obligated
to follow the pathways
defined by illusory walls

My body knows
My mind receives
My being fills
My spirit soars

Immersed in Yoga


Disclaimer:

I invite others into this full exploration, as well.
But it requires a very different attitude, than the norm
in order to develop the necessary receptivity
and to insure a safe, healthy practice
Patience, acceptance and compassion
must be prioritized above ambition
Curiosity and playfulness
over aggression

Words Apart

There is asana practice
as exercise.

And

There is asana practice
as a means of enhancing the communion
of body, breath and being.

We all know:

Words are a poor substitute
for what they represent.

In the same way:

Practicing prescribed postures, alone
fails to bestow
the vitality and depth
that is present
while in the full embrace
of Yoga.

The Greatest Talent

The greatest talent one can aspire to, is to sooth, teach, inspire and empower simply through one's very presence.

To be at peace with one's self, the current course of worldly affairs and whatever condition, or state of development, others are in. To hold the largest point of view in mind while feeling compassion for the smallest of things. To maintain the curiosity of a child and the patience of a scholar. To embrace the habits of listening with full attention, reflecting others in their best light (especially when that's not how they feel), and speaking and acting for the benefit of a greater good. To have the capacity to empathize deeply while not becoming infected by unwanted emotional energies. To be eagerly engaged in a constantly fluid state of personal growth and evolution. To joyfully embody the spirit of the infinite through individual expression.

To actually be present, for the world.