Patience.

 

Every class that I teach is a reflection of myself: physically, the practice is guided by my body and how my body is feeling; and spiritually and emotionally, the practice is guided by whats going on in my heart, mind and soul. That may sound a bit narcissistic, but when I teach from a place of authenticity I feel like it's an honest practice that people can relate to. I've taken inspiration lately from two people: Baron Baptiste, and Osho (obviously), and their words have given me strength and encouragement despite the latest bombardment of sadness and frustration.

Baron Baptiste says:

"The irony of personal growth is that when we slow down and fully engage in teh present, we usually get where we really want to go faster. Everything in life has a natural order and rhythm of unfolding that cannot be violated.

Our greatest source of wisdom is what is happening to us right now, where we are. But our rushing and pushing past the present moment cause us to miss out. In our efforts to do more and get where we want to go faster, we forget that we simply cannot rush the process and still expect to be really successful at anything. True growth is not cheap. Emotional maturity and seasoning come through an intimate understanding of the process of life, the love of the journey, and the depth of subtlety that is achieved through a commitment to patience.

On the subject of Patience, Osho says:
"...if you have patience nothing else is needed. Patience means hope, trust, and without any hurry. A patient person is one who is relaxed with existence, who does not push the river; on the contrary, who dissolves into the river and says to the river, "Take me wherever you are going, because wherever you are going is the goal"

One should learn to be patient, to be ready to wait with open doors, with a welcoming heart, but not in a hurry, not demanding, not forcing things. And the miracle, the paradox, is that the less you force things, the more quickly they happen. The more you force them, the longer it takes..."

For me, patience is a challenge, especially on challenging days. Patience is a deep seated trust. In your yoga practice it's trusting in your amazing body, and the beautiful breath - and how when combined they are a strong combination. In your life: relationships, friendships, family, work, play....it's just trusting in the Universe, that everything is happening and unfolding in it's appropriate time, and that you can't rush the process. In the Gita, Krishna stated "Do the work and leave the result to God; that is none of your business." ACTION is your business, and the result is left up to the Universe. We've all heard the statement that "the Universe always gives you what you need" and "the Universe never gives you more than you can handle". Well, fuck me. There are days that feel unbearable, but I'm still here. There are days where I literally feel like someone has crushed my heart into a thousand pieces, but it's still beating. There are days when I feel defeated, on every level, but I'm still smiling. because the Universe never gives you more than you can handle. True growth isn't cheap. Physical, spiritual and emotional growth take time, and a commitment to patience. Growth is painful, and challenging, and confusing....but if we're not growing, we're dying - so I've made my commitment to patience. Sometimes you have to embrace the Zen saying,  "Don't just do something, Sit There!".

Let the river take you, enjoy the ride, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone for the sake of growth, and know that only Action is your hands - the rest is up to the Universe.