There is an order to the Universe that works. It may not always feel that way, but the Universe and all of its processes are perfect. And we, as a creation of that Universe, are perfect. We get glimpses of our own perfection all the time – in moments of joy, when we overcome a long-held fear, in forgiveness for those who have wronged us.
Those moments are a product of the combination of hard work and peeling back layers of self-doubt. Those layers act like a cover that hides who we really are, and letting them dissolve away allows our true selves to be revealed. Hard work and preparation is also essential to finding freedom from suffering (whatever ails you). And it isn’t always easy to find ease in life, to feel joy, or to let ourselves go, but the rewards are so huge when we do.
Ok, back to yoga. We’re entering into our 11th week and it’s time to start putting together our own sequences and class plans. We spent time talking about themes and goals for classes, how we’re going to structure a class to attempt to reach a certain outcome. The most significant takeaway for me was realizing how important it is to be mindful of the order of things. How you explore and practice a pose in one circumstance or sequence can bring about a completely different outcome than if you had placed it in a different sequence and approached it from another point of view. Child’s pose can simply be a time of rest or a very active, informative pose.
What’s important is the intention and the order. We have goals to build a stronger body, a deeper mind-body connection, personal perfection, enlightenment… We should know how to get ourselves there in a way that makes sense. There are many ways, but all ways should always make sense. Practice is key. Just show up on your mat. Mindfulness is essential. Examine yourself in each posture. Perfection is always available to us, but how do we prepare ourselves for those tiny opportunities or glimpses of perfection? How do we ready ourselves to seize opportunities for greatness (or even tiny improvements)?
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Getting into headstand is no matter of luck. But there are days when it’s so easy for me and others when it’s impossible. I’m starting to understand more and more that it’s about the preparation – both physical and mental – that I make during practice (or a string of practices) that allows me to be ready for headstand when it comes up.
It’s the same with opportunities in life in general. There are going to be opportunities that spring out of the blue all the time, everyday. If you haven’t done the work to be ready for them, they may not even show themselves to you as possibilities. So it’s practice, practice, practice, work, work, work. Then the “miracles” happen – headstand, YouTube Next Trainer, incredible photo job to Asia (congrats to my hubby!). All of these things feel so lucky, but are really just opportunities presenting themselves to people who were already prepared to take them. When you do work, without attachment to the outcome, greatness will rush toward you. It’s important to have a purpose and a goal, but I believe the most important goal is to be open to big things happening. Do you believe amazing things can happen for you?
So our assignment this week was to put together a standing sequence and present it to the group at the next class. We worked in groups of three which allowed us to consider different strengths and weaknesses, perspectives, and styles. I had so much fun with my group…
I was so excited about class that I wanted to practice our sequence as soon as I got home. I made a little video just for myself so I could watch it back, and during that process I came to another big realization for myself. Success unshared is failure, so I’m sharing my little lightbulb moment with you… xo
Tiny hinges swing big doors.