Today I am flying low and I am not saying a word.
I am letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.
The world goes on as it must,
the bees in the garden rumbling a little,
the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.
And so forth.
But I am taking the day off.
Quiet as a feather.
I hardly move though really I'm traveling a terrific distance.
Stillness.
One of the doors into the temple.
- Mary Oliver
In my backyard yesterday morning.....
As soon as the warm weather arrives I return to this poem by Mary Oliver. I share it in many of my classes throughout the summer. I read it often on my own and I pretty much know it by heart now. I was actually saying it silently to myself in the shower earlier today. It has become like a summer mantra to me. Mantra is a sanskrit term and is defined as a sacred word or phrase repeated frequently. The repetition of the mantra is in essence the vehicle that helps to quiet the mind and promote a state of deeper relaxation.
My oldest daughter Grace graduated from high school at the end of June. I have never been very sentimental with my kids milestones but this one got me. I adore my relationship with Grace. We are intensely close. I love being her mom. I will miss this girl with all my heart when she leaves for college in late August but at the same time I am happy for her and ready to let her go and watch her fly.
So this sentimental feeling that came over me prompted me to think about how I want to move through the rest of the summer.....and that is with sweetness. I look at life through a yoga lense and this sweetness made me think of sukha. Sukha has origins both in sanskrit which is the language of yoga but also in Buddhism. Sukha refers to comfort, ease, openness. The literal meaning is "good space", from the root word su (good) and kha (space). How lovely is that? And often you will hear it expressed as sweetness.
Summer invites a little more sukha. A little more sweetness. There is a slowness to summer and its palpable. My first car was a five speed so I always think of shifting from fourth gear into third when summer arrives. And I am in that slower space now.
Cultivating sukha like anything else is a practice. There are familiar rituals this time of year I embrace to create that sweet space. Waking up later in the morning when I can...putting my knitting needles away so I can put my nose in a book for a couple hours later in the day...cutting up and eating tons of watermelon....taking care of the flowers in my backyard...hiking in South Mountain under the shade of trees (which I may add has provided a cooler space under this hot summer sun)....finding water more often and swimming tons....riding my bike and feeling like an 11 year old....taking more yoga classes for myself.
Last week Grace and I decided on a whim to hop in the car at 1 in the afternoon and drive down to the beach. I was done with my teaching schedule for the day and the afternoon was free. We had the windows down and music playing in the jeep. I drove the way down and she indulged me and we played Stevie Nicks the whole time. Two perfect hours on the beach. We read and relaxed. And then we turned around and headed home. Windows were down and music was turned up again. This time she drove and it was her playlist. Lots of country. It was the perfect afternoon. Lots of sukha to experience with Grace.
Experiencing sukha allows us to see ourselves and the world around us more clearly, reminding us that there is always sweetness to be found, even amongst the difficulty we experience in life. It really is about slowing down, being present and doing things that make you feel fully alive in the moment. The more you practice sukha, the more sweetness you will see in your daily life.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Sundays 4:30pm-5:30pm www.bhaktibarn.com
Mondays 9:15am-10:15am Summit YMCA www.thesay.org
Tuesdays 11:15am-12:15pm www.bhaktibarn.com
Tuesdays 6pm-7pm Summit YMCA www.thesay.org
*NEW CLASS. FRIDAYS 11:15am-12:30pm www.bhaktibarn.comÂ
*including walking meditation
Been awhile since you unrolled your mat? Email me if you are interested in starting back quietly for privates or small group privates at your home including guided meditation sessions
BHAKTI BARN SCHOOL OF YOGA
200 HOUR TEACHER TRAINING
BEGINS SEPTEMBER 28TH 2024
MEETS EVERY OTHER WEEKEND
NOON - 4PM
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED
I am a lead trainer in this weekend program. Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to talk about this program that is truly a transformative experience. Take a deep dive into the yoga philosophy, Bhakti yoga, sanskrit, anatomy, sequencing, meditation, ayurveda & pranayama
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