Practice patiently

We sit in meditation watching our breath, maybe repeating our mantra…

Sitting… breathing…

And at some moment unbeknownst till it happens,

Like a screen door occluding our view suddenly opens

Revealing the joyous outdoors clearly before us,

We enter bliss and stillness, our happy heart.

Bow to the inner teacher

“Again and again, I bow to my inner teacher.”

Your inner teacher may be the life force, the spirit, the heart, Mother Earth, Buddha, Shiva… your god or gods, or God… no matter how you define it.

With great love and respect, and awe, I gladly bow to that which is greater than this ego.

With reverence, I bow…

to that which is unending love, and bliss, and joy, that sees all as equal, none as superior, that which is wholeheartedly welcoming to all!  I bow to that which uplifts all humanity and life (which strives to do no harm).

I bow… to life!

Perfectly imperfect beings

There is one job we can all do well….

being perfectly human, imperfect in so many ways.

We are perfect for the part!

It takes endless compassion for ourselves and others to really master this job.

And yet the pièce de résistence is our humility–

in awe of the life force that creates this all!

The best thing about this “role” is there’s no part you have to play, nor any lines to memorize.  You just have to be yourself!

You’ve got this!  You were perfectly cast for this one a long time ago!

Coming into balance

With life always in flux, changing, our center shifting, we come in and out of balance.

Like our inner ear keeps us balanced and (generally) from toppling over, the forces of our being seek balance in the midst of flux.

In yoga, feel yourself coming in and out of balance, the ease when you are… and the body’s tendency to seek it when you’re not.

May you find things in your life that draw you into greater balance, absorbed in the center.

In your poses in life, on and off the mat, seek balance!