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Classes for the Week of June 13
No Classes due to
Coming End of July:
Sunday class at Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena
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Sprint or Marathon?
Or perhaps you would prefer a leisurely stroll "Kundalini Yoga is the Yoga of Awareness. There is no human without the inborn temperament for awareness. Some have higher blocks to it, some have lower blocks. With some it takes a long time to break these blocks, with others it is quick. That is the only difference. It is a question of time. Just as someone prefers to go from New York to Los Angeles in an airplane or on a donkey. Both will arrive; it is a question of time." -- Yogi Bhajan  In terms of awareness, our mode of transportation is not the only factor in determining our arrival time.
Sometimes that donkey gets stuck in a slow-moving grocery line or a hideous traffic jam. Other times, you are hurtled forward on a supersonic jet by a life change you did not anticipate or desire.
When we perceive things as moving either too quickly or slowly, we often end up feeling irritiable, restless, fearful, dissatisfied or even depressed. But what if you are moving at exactly the right speed whether you like it or not?
The laws of expansion and contraction are natural in the universe and they apply to humans as well. Sometimes what we see as an obstacle is actually an opening in disguise. What if the rate of change you see as a limitation isn't a limitation at all?
(Now, I don't know about you, but when I feel helpless or unhappy, reading philosophical stuff about embracing my limitations is just plain annoying...but try to bear with me.)
For example, recently I've been feeling unfocused and uninspired. My response was to be very critical of myself, to try to "figure out" what was wrong and get myself together. The result was a revolving list of things I thought I "should" be doing: practicing more yoga; practicing less yoga; painting a masterpiece; painting anything at all; switching to pastel; eating more fiber; eating less fiber; calling my mom more; calling my friends more; recycling more; spending less; journaling; switching laundry detergent...and around and around I went for a few weeks.
I was assuming my inertia was a problem that needed fixing -- badly and quickly.
When my brilliant self-analysis failed to yield a solution, I reached out for a little perspective from friends and my yoga teacher. Turns out my sense of "stuck-ness" is probably just a natural contraction following a series of major changes I've undergone so far this year. Those changes required energy, decisiveness and a tremendous amount of planning and action. Now they're completed and I'm a little sapped. After recognizing this fact, I began adjusting my attitude, considering myself with more kindness and accepting that feeling confused is totally okay. My mind and body are downshifting. Whether or not I approve, criticize or enjoy it, apparently that's where I need to be.
Having accepted my limits, I'm finding some peace of mind. I'm spending less time dwelling on all the things I think I should be doing and more time genuinely exploring what might be useful in meeting my current needs.
I'll get there when I get there. It's just a question of time.
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