Yoga isn’t just about flexibility or balancing on one leg….yoga is about improving your life & how you move within the world. Lately I’ve been reminded of how these changes subtly alter your perception and outlook on the world. It’s often not until you are in a situation where you need to cope with change, or stay strong in the face of adversity that you understand the inner strength & flexibility that yoga has provided you with.
There are dreamers and there are doers….what we need are more dreamers that do….
Amongst my friends and acquaintances I would say there are three types….those entrepreneurial souls who take risks and try new ventures. Sometimes against all the good advice of more nervous souls, sometimes to succeed & sometimes to learn from mistakes, but always pushing open doors that may lead somewhere interesting. They are exciting, but maybe not relaxing. Always looking for the less obvious but maybe missing the wonder of what is directly in their path. Constant movement without pause to assimilate what we have learnt can be exciting but not necessarily good for us.
Secondly there are also those who resent this. Those who feel the world owes them a living. That they should have success and opportunity handed to them with not only a simple explanation of how, but a guarantee of success and without having to put their heart or soul into it. In fact these people don’t really seem to open their eyes to putting their soul into much; as they are not a fan of hard work or thinking outside of the box. They seem to resent success & always be looking backwards or externally rather than inward where the changes need to begin. Let us call them the moaners…we all know them and they can be draining to spend time around.they don’t want to do, just resent those that did or are doing! They not only need removing from our lives as much as possible but also from our own psyche. They aren’t just stuck in life but are often sinking into a quagmire of resentment & negativity.
Then there are the pausers, sometimes also the fearful. They may have see the opportunities of the dreamers but be more risk adverse, maybe they are content where they are or maybe they are acting out of fear. Scared to risk what they have, for a possibility of greater things. These should be supported rather than judged. Maybe the timing is not right or maybe they are pausing to rest from a previous journey of opportunity. However this is the place where I see myself at the moment. It is a risky place to stay as it can lead to sadness at the missed opportunity …the ‘what it’s and ‘if onlys’. However it can also lead to contentment. Why do we always need more instead of enjoying where we are. If this is a journey then let us pause occasionally to admire the view. To stop and smell the awakening of springtime rather than hankering for the full bloom of summertime.
Yoga teaches us that we need balance. Both movement & pause. As my Thai Yoga Massage teacher often says….’it is the pause where the magic happens’. So pause but don’t get stuck, move forward but look around and enjoy where you are as well as focusing on where you are going. Look for samavritti in your breathing practice for a few moments. Let the active components of your breath become equal…so the length of the inhale equals the length of the exhale. Allow your mind to settle & pause & enjoy the magic 🙂