I logged on to the yoga stand site and signed up for a drop-in class. I updated my credit card information and looked at my history which showed I was actively involved in yoga in 2013, 2015, and now again in 2017. It seems there must be a pattern starting here, but obviously one that needs to be improved.
Ironically yoga is something I have done for just me. It is healthy for mind, body, and spirit and I love the feeling after I go to a class, not during mind you. I don’t remember why exactly I tried a class the very first time, but I always feel like I have sweated out the bad, and always accepted a truth, while I have been there. Yoga isn’t understood, until you participate and maybe that is true with most things. But going into this quiet place in this busy world of ours and try for a few minutes to just concentrate on this personal space is rare and special and I want more of it. I want to call my friends after and say, “You got to do this with me! Sign up for the next class and I’ll meet you there?” I’d love for my husband to go with me, because I know the rewards.
But I showed up just as the class started, and I think it not etiquette to show up late, yet I was the last one to enter, before the instructor. I had forgotten my own mat, and a fancy bottle of water, and a towel to wipe the sweat from my forehead. It really has been too long since I’ve gone to yoga. But despite myself, I proceeded to walk in, looking around to a class full of people, I found one spot left to lay my rented mat, which happened to be front row, just right of center stage. I tell myself “that is what you get for being late, but you’re here, go on”. I spread out my mat, grabbed a couple of blocks and sprinkled water on the mat and sat down, just like you do when you’re in kindergarten. Of course, that’s all the time I had because the teacher was ready to start.
The instructor began and asked for suggestions, to which someone to my right said, “can we have time for meditation?” and yet another asked for strength training. And so, we began, breathing, realizing our space, and the earth beneath us. And the class goes on, pushing my muscles beyond where they have gone in a while. Pushing my mind to stay present, to focus on right here, right now. I wander. My mind worries about what is next. What is next in my day, in my relationships, in business. “FOCUS” I tell myself, “come back to right here”. I wander. My feet aren’t exactly right, and I had my foot behind my thigh, instead of in front. I bobble a little when we attempt warrior pose. But, I return. I return to right here and right now. I focus again and feel emotions come and go and then stay focused for more long minutes. I stood like a lizard, and reached high to the mountains and in a child’s pose, and then at the end of this hour, we were to stay in our most comfortable place and were just ………quiet.
I closed my eyes a while and then looked at the round vent in the ceiling above me, and I quietly heard, “This is not about you”. These words are crystal clear, and undeniable when they come. I must apply this to my mind, body, and spirit, and what I do moving forward, and it’s given me much peace.
What if, we were put here only to help other people? What if that was my only purpose? Only to help you understand more about you. Or help you through the holidays. Or was meant to be your mom, to teach you how to love your children, and how to be a responsible adult. What if my purpose today, is to be your help through the struggles at work and with your parents, children, spouse?. To be your help, however that may be in our life in the journey that we are on. So many times, we get caught up in the thought, “why are they like that?” but how we handle ourselves, our emotions, and our hearts in serving our purpose in someone else’s life.
What would our world be like, really, if we all realized that this moment is about making life good for those around us? If, we only cared about the person driving by in a hurry who cut us off at the light? If we cared more about what our client wants, than what I do? What if what our children needs, are more important than our own feelings? What if, we are being ignored, but know in our heart, “this isn’t about you”? We can have peace about it, because I know that all of that is bigger than me, or my city, or state, or country, I know God is in control of all.
I laid there on the yoga mat feeling very small. Knowing that none of this trivial stuff is going to make or break me. I was sweaty, in much need of water, and not smelling so good, when I left this yoga class, but I felt full of a beautiful grace, and I moved through my day filled with peace. I went to the grocery store and hoped I didn’t see anyone I knew. Small but mighty, is that little voice, but when you hear it, listen to it, and know that your purpose is not always about you, and so much bigger than ourselves.
Thankful,
Lori Martinez
Consider It Done
Recent Comments