Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Origins of Transformation





Butterflies were once confined to a past that relegated them to solitude.
sitting in silence.
becoming one with nature.
finding their roots on land.
sliding left and then right. left and then right. on a path
that they knew would be greater than they could ever imagine.
the cocoon knew it was destined for greatness.
land animals would sit around it. wondering what would emerge in this little
unnoticable shell of a cocoon. never knowing that it would soon serve a purpose beyond their imagination.
the cocoon firmly planted into the grounds of the earth.
its roots shaping the transformation that would soon come.
the land of our mother nature is helping the cocoon reach it's path.
slowly. it meditates. slowly. it imagines. slowly it visualizes a place beyond its foundation.
never thinking that time would soon lead to a metamorphosis of sorts
the cocoon would simply hold tight to the foundation that was it's home.
they smelled the grass. made friends with land animals.
but never did they feel like they were serving their purpose in life.
until one day. the sun was shining its brightest.
so bright the baby [it] inside the cocoon noticed the light coming inside its cocoon.
the [it] cocoon looked into the light. the light led it to the crack. the crack became a hole. and then the hole
became bigger and bigger.
the cocoon. transformed. becoming a beautiful butterfy. with blues, purples, yellows, and oranges.
the land animals couldn't believe it.
the it became a butterfly. from a thing to something special.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Yoga as a practice of love

As a recovering cynic, I am learning that we must take pleasure in the simple things in life. As I reflect on the the moments and times where I am at “my best.” And while I wish I could answer that I am at my best all the time. I simply would be lying. I think as humans we have good days and bad days. I believe that those bad days allows for the sweetness of the good days. I am truly at my best when I am practicing vinyasa flow yoga. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. These are two simple techniques that transform my life every time I practice. Why yoga? I am at my best when I practice yoga because it allows me to learn, accept, and embrace my body. On the mat I travel to a place that knows no bounds. As I inhale. I learn to accept the imperfections of my curves. I exhale the voices of popular culture. That say that fat is ugly. Love handles are not lovable. And that perfect bodies do really exist. Yoga allows me the space to truly express myself. Yoga is the expression of love. Yoga is about awareness. About the union of breathe, movement, and love. I learn to love my body in the process of yoga. I embrace it for all of its curves, love handles, and flexibility. I learn to appreciate my body during my practice. It’s all about me. The outside world means nothing. Yoga allows me to look within. I focus on the source of all of my strength and inspiration that is God, love, and the freedom of self-expression. Inhale. I become one with lightness as I inhale. Exhale. I let go of negativity, darkness, and frustration as I exhale. I imagine myself inhaling all the goodness in the world. There is good in this world. I am at my best on the mat. I am allowed to express myself creatively. Freedom is the priority on the yoga mat. It doesn’t matter what happened yesterday or this morning. Yoga allows me to be in the now. And learning to be in the present allows me to show appreciation for my body, my self, and my mind. Yoga is love. Namaste.