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Photo by Leslie Kahan
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The Season of Abundance Welcome to the season of abundance. The summer solstice has arrived, the school year has come to an end, the long lists of to-dos and have-tos are finally, finally becoming manageable, and the warm, sunshiny days seem almost impossibly long. We glory in warm breezes, in flourishing gardens, in time spent with family and friends. We celebrate our loved ones and their achievements, their graduations, their weddings, their recitals. And it seems there's no better time to experience true fullness in one's heart than at the end of a long, hot, sunny day, with the whole summer still stretched out before us, being surrounded by people we love. "All I really need is a song in my heart, food in my belly, and love in my family." ~Raffi It's in those times of pure joy, for however long they last, that we truly believe we have enough. Better than enough. We have plenty. We aren't focusing on what others might have that we don't. We aren't focusing on what we do have and might lose. We certainly aren't focusing on what we once had but is long gone. In those moments when we truly embrace the abundant nature of our living, we take a deep breath and let our hearts expand like hot air balloons, and we forget to be afraid. Notice I didn't say we overcome our fears, because we don't. We forget them. We let them go. In the moments we allow ourselves to truly experience life's abundance, we release the fears that weigh us down, the fears of not having enough or being enough or making enough, and just like cutting the ropes that tie down that hot air balloon of bliss, we allow ourselves to rise above what scares us. And it's funny, because when we experience true abundance in our hearts, nothing about our lives really changes. Our bank balances are the same, our troubles don't miraculously resolve. Our cars still need repairs, our kids still make demands, and there are still piles of laundry to do. There may be illness in our families, struggle in our relationships, and uncertainty in our business dealings, but when we focus on all we have and all that's amazing about our lives, it's like we're giving ourselves a reprieve from fear. We're letting ourselves off the hook from being scared...of losing, of lacking, of getting hurt...and it's with that letting go that the abundance that was always there makes itself known. "Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into." ~Wayne Dyer It is said that when my guru, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, encountered a yoga student who was scared to attempt a difficult pose or accept a deep adjustment, his response would be a simple and seemingly dismissive, "Why fear?". As if it were a simple choice to not be afraid to jump into crow pose or drop into a backbend from standing. As if all a student needed to do was shift his perspective from fear to possibility and suddenly the abundant benefits of practice-strength, flexibility, balance, peace of mind, even bliss-would be right there for the taking. As if. But maybe it is that simple (not easy, of course, but simple). A consistent yoga practice affords us the opportunity each day to achieve such a shift in perspective. Every time we get on our mats we have a chance to let go of the fear that limits our perception of what's possible, if only for a single breath. When we attempt that bind, move deeper into that forward bend, go for that arm balance, risk falling and failing, we catch a glimpse of how amazing we truly are, how limitless. And when we face something difficult and ask ourselves in that moment, "Why fear?", we are training ourselves to expand our hearts like a hot air balloon, to release the fear that tethers us, to touch the joy that is already there and needs only for us to recognize it. "Life in abundance comes only through great love." ~ Elbert Hubbard Then maybe all that training on our mats will make it possible to shift our perspective in our daily lives as well-not just in this season of abundance, but all year long-from fear of loss and betrayal and not having enough to trust in the constant goodness and love and joy that is present in our lives. So that even when the summer ends, when the storm comes, when relationships die and finances are strained, we have the wherewithal to ask ourselves, "Why fear?", to let go, and to find in ourselves the faith that there is, always was, and always will be, plenty. |
