So the countdown begins. Ten days until I start the journey to cross Ocean and Continent bound for India. Or rather, bound ‘to’ India. The seed was planted 24 years ago when I lived with an Indian girl my freshman year at Indian Springs School. Her exotic beauty and stories of Delhi and Bombay ignited the spark that continued to burn more brightly year after year. I believe her influence caused my gravitation to yoga a few years later.
I have been actively working, saving, and planning for this trip for 18 months. To leave my husband, family, house, dogs, and business for four weeks seems like such a long time. There is a tiny part of me that thinks my little universe will crumble if I don’t hold it up. But there is a wiser part of me that knows all is well and will be well here in my absence and that I must do this. My higher self assures my fearful aspects that the Universe is infinite, intelligent, compassionate and inviting me to have a look at the world from the perspective of a high flying Bird, to expand my horizons, to steep myself in another’s culture, to live life to the fullest now. Who wouldn’t accept that invitation?!
The last major tasks to take care of before departure are bills and taxes. Sheer WORK. My friend Michelle Baker said last weekend at Yoga Birds that we often have to move through ‘thick energy’ to experience the freedom of a yoga pose or a situation.
It’s very much in the same realm as the theme of my yoga classes this week. We are exploring the balance between Work and Play in the poses. There is an innate pulsation and equilibrium of work and play in every pose and every situation that we encounter or embark upon. Keeping with the Order of the Universe, we must first do the work so that we can really play. It is just like the Anusara Universal Principles of Alignment- we create muscle energy first and then we playfully stretch and extend in the poses. If we play before we work, the poses are unsteady and the risk of injury increases substantially, and frankly not very fun.
So this week it’s the tedious mandatory work of tax time that sets the path for the ultimate Divine play of answering the long-time call of the Motherland.
Come play with us at Yoga Birds this week. Oh and, Yoga, thanks so much for showing me the Way!