Love you.

Did you guess that we were working on shoulder stand? 

This specific branch of yoga uses more props than I could have ever imagined. There are times when it is ridiculous and overbearing; it can seem superfluous and a poor use of time. However, many times the use of props in Iyengar yoga is brilliant. This particular way of practicing uses props to assist everyone in being able to practice asanas (poses/postures) safely and deepen/correct alignment. This I happen to love about Iyengar. I have learned so much about the use of props…and how a plethora of yoga students and instructors allow their egos to get in the way, forcing themselves into an asana that may be “fancy” because you’re in it for a moment but is missing all of the benefits of the practice because alignment is completely off…and could be corrected simply.

Buuut…just a little edumacation for your Friday morning. 

So…remember how I shared Theodore Roosevelt’s speech yesterday? …let’s talk about the man in the arena, the one daring greatly, the one showing up, fighting, making mistakes. The one who is present.

In a video we watched a couple of nights ago a woman being interviewed said, “Your biggest and only job is to just love you…right now,” not when you’ve accomplished, purchased, established, done X, Y, or Z…no, right now.

What if your biggest job is simply showing up in your life? Daring greatly in your world?

We had a long discussion today about who yoga is for, the judgments we pass, and the stereotypes we place on one another–both in a yoga-specific and in a more general way. It is always a little unnerving to have one of those moments when you realize you’ve forgotten something important. 

I was reminded today of many things…one very important thing simply being love. Love is foundational. And I’m not talking about red roses, boxes of chocolates, sex on the kitchen counter love. I’m talking about non-judgmental kindness, patient, humble, gracious love…towards ourselves and our neighbor.

Life moves quickly and it’s easy to get caught up in our bubbles. It’s easy to fall prey to culture, marketing, and general brokenness of humanity and self-loath, judge, or simply be comfortable and stay there…which I’m beginning to think may be a crime in and of itself. 

Comfort signifies a sort of ease. Your comfortable place may be super cushie or it may be completely unhealthy and all that you know…but, that is irrelevant. When you’re uncomfortable I think it’s a sign that something’s right, you’re taking a risk, you’re pushing the limits of maybe just your small world or some sort of larger, unspoken cultural boundary.

Go for it. Open up. Open your mind and heart…and, first, love yourself today. 

Maybe you’ve gained some pounds, maybe you’ve lost some pounds, maybe your pigeon-toed, maybe you’re blonde and want to be brunette, maybe you want to have a six pack, maybe you’re hateful and judgmental because you loathe yourself, maybe you’re carrying around trauma, maybe you’re gay, maybe you think you might be gay, maybe you’re Asian, maybe you have big breasts and want to be seen for your wits not your boobs, maybe you’re afraid of heights, maybe you’re a republican, maybe you’re a democrat, maybe you don’t give a rats ass about politics,  maybe you think you’re funny and no one else does, or you wish you were funny, maybe you don’t have any idea who you are, but you know who you are not.

I’m preaching to the choir so I’ll be honest about that…but let’s be brave. Let’s show up in life and LOVE.

Then we can show some love to our neighbors. 

Today I had a clear vision…there was a place on the corner. Brick walls that led to a glass door. Tiny chimes clinged together and sang of your arrival. When you walked in you took your shoes off at the door and left the world and it’s madness there…and you were greeted with a smile, a hug, and a “I’m glad you’re here.” You knew you belonged. It didn’t matter who you were…you just were welcomed. This place was for people who wanted to do yoga…to stretch and heal their bodies, people who wanted to maybe sit in circles and talk about how hellacious their day was, or how much their ego impacted their practice that day, people who wanted health…mind, body, and spirit. Their physical bodies, their skin, ther shape, their size, their religious affiliations, their political views, their relationship status, nor their sexual orientation mattered…only the heart. The only questioned anyone needed to answer was: “Are you willing to show up completely and open yourself up to love? Whatever that looks like.”

That’s a place I want to go. I want to greet you that way. Maybe one day…

For now…it’s a dream.

And a challenge. A challenge to love. Today. Just as I am. Just as you are. To clear out the cobwebs of long-standing pains or unhealthy habits and choose to be braver.

~~~~~~~

“Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”