This is my first blog following a five-day yoga retreat I led for a group of committed students. As always, after such a deep experience, we all need time to rest, recuperate and reflect on its impact. Over the millennia, the intended impact of yoga, whether a 1-hour class, a 5-day retreat or a 30-day sadhana, has been to reveal that which is hidden and unknown.
Arguably, for humanity what is most hidden is self-knowledge. As the saying goes, all knowledge is self-knowledge (Bruce Lee; Socrates). The meaning behind these words implies that as you come to know who you are, you come to know life.
Thus, in order to truly understand and live the best life possible, you need to expand your understanding of your inner self which contains the physical, energetic, mental-emotional, intuitive and spiritual bodies. No small task. In the beginning of such a self-discovery journey, often referred to as spiritual, the complexity can feel overwhelming. Likely, you are confused about where to even begin.
Not unlike approaching a cave, until you pass through the entrance, you will not see its depths. Thus, we begin with our physical body to discover where our tension, tightness and holding resides. Then, we take a step deeper into our energetic body to discover where breath and life-force energy are not able to flow. Simultaneously, we might discover habitual negative thoughts and emotions that belittle rather than expand us.
All of this can take years of work to unravel, but as the undoing of the old un-serving ways continues so to our awareness of intuitive wisdom and spiritual connection becomes evident and grows.
The work is simple but not easy. The rewards are beyond what each of us can envision for ourselves. I ask you, isn’t the effort worth that bountiful horizon? My poem below speaks to this journey of expansion and freedom.
Expanded Horizons
Pressing through the wormhole
to an expanded horizon
squeezes out unnecessary clutter.
Tho’ life’s complexity is still evident,
a new simpler way is being forged,
not just for you but for everyone.
The senses speak of an opening
without struggle, an effortless dance
of surrender amidst upside-down events.
Unravelling and rebirthing these sacred ways
echoes the constructive freedom
en route to integration and community.
03 March 2020
May we surrender to the wonders of each moment. Namaste.
