let's yoke together...5-25-20
Just a few moments ago, instead of sitting down to write, I aimlessly wandered the internal cocoon of my home, putting things away. This belongs here. Throw this away. Change this to here. As if. My subconscious having a field day, putting the thousand things to right in my little controllable world. Spinning dreams out of my frustration and my longing and my agitation. Triggering my emotions in novel and unfamiliar ways. And I keep listening to you. I am not alone in this.
We are fumbling our way out of extreme isolation and flirting with what might be next. Studies of humans emerging from isolation indicate “an inflection point where the frustration and hardship of being cooped up inside gets suddenly harder to bear.” And everyone is unique in the particulars. What is feeling safe for you in order to bit by bit emerge?
This was brought home to me when I accepted an invitation to gather for a small dinner party. With people I love and trust. I was explicit about my need to gather outdoors but apparently not clear about my continued need to maintain physical distance. I was so uncomfortable with the reality of the evening and even more dismayed by my inability to stand by my own requirements.
Let me say it again. We are all going to move through this differently. There was nothing wrong with my friend’s boundaries. There was nothing wrong with the lines I had drawn. Being with the discomfort of our differences---holding each other with kindness and respect and understanding---this is the ride we are on now. I have children and grandchildren I am deeply missing. My relationship with them and my need to be physically close with them is my highest priority. Therefore, I have to respect the boundaries they have set in their lives so that I might be with them as soon as possible. Wow. It seems as if nothing or perhaps everything in my life so far has prepared me for this.
And in the wee early hours of this morning, a dawn that ushers in the hottest of days, I coaxed myself up, meditated and then took my weepy walk to East Portal Park. And as soon as I hit send on this writing, I’ll roll out my mat to move and breathe and feel some more. I can’t even imagine how haywire the shenanigans of my sub-conscious would be without this essential self-care. This dedicated time is as important as the food I consume, the rest I hold sacred, the personal connections I foster in whatever way possible.
One activity that keeps me sane is holding space for others to discover ways to yoke body and mind. Yoke? The root word of yoga. So many interpretations of what exactly is being yoked and how this term emerged. The story I love is this one. Picture an untamed and unruly ox, kinda like your wild mind. Add a perfectly functional wooden cart, a metaphor for your blessed body. How to bring these two together so they might move through the world with ease and efficiency and joy? We yoke body and mind via breath. So simple. So incredibly challenging. But it’s what I’m offering as essential self-care. Dance with me. Be on the mat with me. Let’s yoke together.
I love the Essential territory we’ve dropped into Tuesday/Friday. Yes, of course, we’re rolling out that fascial tension. Creating deep pleasure as we restore suppleness and fluidity to the wooden cart. And we’re connecting deep core tone with the truth of what arms and legs need to do in the real world. See this video, a glimpse into building functional power in those incredible weight-bearing legs. And since it’s all done in the context and cradle of breath, restless mind gets corralled in for a bit. Been loving this foray, your enthusiastic feedback keeps me traveling this territory.
So grab your mat and roller and double tennis balls and join me tomorrow morning at ten. Here’s the link, for the last time on this web page. See this web page for what’s happening in June right here: https://bodyjoy.net/yoga-on-line-offerings/ . Let’s tame the wild beast and support each other on this rowdy ride. Let’s yoke together.
Love, bella