Let me begin my post today for apologizing to those of you that practice with me regularly for the number of times I've missed you recently for our Thursday classes. This begs me to touch on the topic of impermanence. Growing up, my mother would often remind us in times of struggle that "this too shall pass." This served as a reminder that in time, the perception of time and change would allow us to process the things that were once difficult to handle.
Not too long ago, I had a dear friend give me a Lokai bracelet as a gift - if you haven't yet seen these, check them out at www.mylokai.com. These bracelets are awesome for so many reasons. One bead of the bracelet is black and contains mud from the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth - reminding us that when we're at our low points in life, to remember to stay hopeful. Another bead of the bracelet is white and contains water from the top of Mount Everest - the highest point on earth - reminding us that even when we're on top of the world, to remain humble. Ultimately, life is full of cycles. The beads in between are clear because amid these cycles, we each have our own story to tell. I had someone notice my bracelet and share with me the yiddish folk tale of King Solomon's magic ring - from which Gam zeh Ya’avor ("This too shall pass") inscribed on a plain silver ring proved a lesson in humility.
All the same, this reminder of impermanence can bring peace whether life is difficult or flowing with ease, whether emotions are high or low, and in either times of extremes or consistency. As of late, it seems that I am being reminded quite frequently that life is full of that which we cannot control. And rather than feeling like I'm struggling to keep my head above water, I am doing my best to recognize the value of every moment. What is there to be learned? What is there to be felt? How can I use this to help others? Be it positive or negative, and this of course is all in how we perceive our reality, isn't it an amazing blessing to simply be? For today, and the moment is all we truly have. Yoga serves to remind us of just this - as we move through our asana practice, we practice letting go of conscious thought, and conscious processing of emotion. We practice serving as this passive observer of our practice, of our lives really, and to express gratitude for that moment when we can let go. So I ask you to practice awareness of impermanence. Let "This too shall pass" shake you from complacency and enhance your life - Don’t waste a single moment!
This post is dedicated to my parents, who taught me from a young age to practice gratitude for all that is.
Not too long ago, I had a dear friend give me a Lokai bracelet as a gift - if you haven't yet seen these, check them out at www.mylokai.com. These bracelets are awesome for so many reasons. One bead of the bracelet is black and contains mud from the Dead Sea - the lowest point on earth - reminding us that when we're at our low points in life, to remember to stay hopeful. Another bead of the bracelet is white and contains water from the top of Mount Everest - the highest point on earth - reminding us that even when we're on top of the world, to remain humble. Ultimately, life is full of cycles. The beads in between are clear because amid these cycles, we each have our own story to tell. I had someone notice my bracelet and share with me the yiddish folk tale of King Solomon's magic ring - from which Gam zeh Ya’avor ("This too shall pass") inscribed on a plain silver ring proved a lesson in humility.
All the same, this reminder of impermanence can bring peace whether life is difficult or flowing with ease, whether emotions are high or low, and in either times of extremes or consistency. As of late, it seems that I am being reminded quite frequently that life is full of that which we cannot control. And rather than feeling like I'm struggling to keep my head above water, I am doing my best to recognize the value of every moment. What is there to be learned? What is there to be felt? How can I use this to help others? Be it positive or negative, and this of course is all in how we perceive our reality, isn't it an amazing blessing to simply be? For today, and the moment is all we truly have. Yoga serves to remind us of just this - as we move through our asana practice, we practice letting go of conscious thought, and conscious processing of emotion. We practice serving as this passive observer of our practice, of our lives really, and to express gratitude for that moment when we can let go. So I ask you to practice awareness of impermanence. Let "This too shall pass" shake you from complacency and enhance your life - Don’t waste a single moment!
This post is dedicated to my parents, who taught me from a young age to practice gratitude for all that is.
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