The Empowerment of Surrender

I visited the cemetery today where my grandparents and great-grandparents are buried.  Walking among the grave stones, I took notice of the two dates engraved on each one - birth and death.  What a beautiful reminder of the temporality of life; of our short time in this world as we understand it.  Laying to rest a loved one, and being at peace with this action, is an extraordinary act of surrender.

Letting go is not easy, and in our modern world, not always encouraged.  While surrender is a word often uttered within the walls of a yoga studio, outside of that space, surrender is associated with becoming powerless, failing, or giving up.  In a yoga practice, however, surrender is an empowering act.  One that enables us to give ourselves over to something greater. To let go of "I", or our ego, and become truly whole.  In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali refers to this practice as Ishvara Pranidhana - the shift in thinking from our ego to our divine self, where we reside in grace, peace, and freedom.  Ishvara Pranidhana is our sacred connection to our divine self.

I nearly always begin my yoga practice in Child's pose, kneeling, prayer-like into the earth. We begin life close to the earth, with a innate connection to our Source.  It is here where we bring ourselves back to Ishvara Pranidhana.  Where we surrender to our voice within, letting go of our yesterdays, our tomorrows, and entering into this sacred space. This moment of Now.  As we move through our practice, we move up from the earth, finding greater heights, experiencing challenges and perhaps even flying.  We come back to the earth at times, sometimes to rest or reconnect, or because we have fallen.  Yet when we fall, the earth is always there to catch us.  To fall from a pose is a truly an act of letting go. You may never build the strength and flexibility to fly in Bird of Paradise without first falling.  Our falls make us stronger.  We learn something knew each time we let go and allow ourselves to be free, to be playful, to challenge ourselves.

Yoga is a delicate balance between control and letting go.  A back and forth of honoring your limits and of knowing when to push yourself a bit further.  We learn to work with a pose, and not against it.  We find the strength to take that lesson with us when we leave our mat and work with, not against, the events and situations we encounter in our lives. Ishvara Pranidhana, awakens our connection to our Source and gives us the freedom to surrender to and accept with love and gratitude, all that which Is.    

At the end of our yoga practice, the most important pose awaits.  Savasana, corpse pose. The time when we surrender completely into the arms of the earth.  In Savasana we honor our burdens, and for a few minutes, at least, lay them to rest. Our burdens may still exist when we leave our mat, but we know that we will leave feeling lighter, more free, and willing to let go of that weight when the time comes to do so.

Yoga shows us the temporality of everything. We learn to accept that nothing is permanent, that each practice will be different. We learn to let go, to welcome every possibility, and to act with grace, honor, and love.

"To live in this world

you must be able

to do three things:

to love what is mortal;

to hold it 

against your bones knowing

your own life depends on it;

and when the time comes to let it go,

to let it go."

Take a Moment

Take a moment, after you read this, to steady your mind.  Stop the thought that begins to formulate, and simply let it linger for a moment.  CLose your eyes.  Breathe.  Deep inhales through your nose, long exhales out through your nose.  Observe the thought.  Watch it linger in your mind's eye.  Take a moment with this thought, then send it on its way.  Return to the sound of your breath.  

Make this your practice, on your mat, and off.  When you are with your breath, you see there is so much to let go.  Fear, sadness, the past, the future.  Empty yourself completely and be with this moment entirely. 


"We too should make ourselves empty, that the great soul of the universe may fill us with its breath."
~Laurence Binyon

Remember a Lake...

On the surface, the water of a lake experiences waves and tides caused by storms or wind. A stormy environment wreaks havoc on the otherwise smooth surface.  Yet beneath, in the depths of the lake, the water is calm, still, and silent.  Any storms from the exterior cannot touch or change what exists down deep.  Each of us are, too, like the lake, experiencing the waves and tides of events that happen in our lives. But within, our true, authentic self remains unchanged and untouched.  Our true self is forever calm, still, and peaceful, simply weathering the winds of our external life situation.

Your breath is a powerful tool for remembering and connecting to your authentic self. Make it your intention today to remain in touch with your breath and in turn with yourself. To find your breath and use it to remember your own stillness beneath the surface, especially when faced with challenging situations, people, or events that might pass your way.  Remember the real you, who is forever peaceful and unaffected by the changing weather of the exterior world.

“If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place. Primary reality is within; secondary reality without.”
― Eckhart Tolle

Namaste.

The Power of Prana

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu: 

May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may our own thoughts, words, and actions contribute to the happiness of all beings.

Everything is connected. From our inner selves to the exterior world, threads of same-ness weave throughout our universe.  Thus, when one aspect of this great connection is imbalanced, that imbalance filters throughout the rest of the system.  This is manifested in the physical body via an imbalance in one area of the body causing imbalance, and often injury, in another part.  Externally, this connection is integrated into our actions, words, and interactions with others and with our surroundings.  An act of kindness done unto one person is nearly always passed from that person to another and so forth. A smile given to someone you pass by on the street is returned by a smile to you. A single person's negative energy can transform the energy in a room.  In the face of calamity, calm responses bring serenity.  If we want to change something in our lives, the energy surrounding that thing must be changed.  

It starts from within; from the inner energy channels of our body.  In my yoga classes this week, we've focused on the five Prana Vayus, specifically the first Vayu, Prana Vayu.  Prana, which is often associated with breath, is the life-giving energy source within all beings. It is the energy that allows our bodies to move and our minds to think.  The Vayus, which translates literally to "winds", control our mental, physical, and emotional well-being.  When all five Vayus are functioning in harmony, we experience health, vitality, and mind-body awareness.  

The Vayus each possess specific qualities, functions, and directions of flow. The energy known as Prana Vayu, flows inward and upward, from the navel to the chest region. It encompasses the area around the lungs and heart. Prana Vayu is our most energizing force.  It heightens our senses and our inner awareness.  It is, in fact, the driving force of all the other vayus.  

That energy can be accessed with the breath.  Breath is our reminder to respond, not react. It has the power to calm us down or prepare us for action.  It is what centers and grounds us in our daily activities, in our interactions, and in our yoga practice.  The next time you face a challenging situation or person, come back to your breath and put all of your awareness on it.  The sound it makes as it filters in through your nose and fills up your lungs, the way your chest and rib cage expand and relax.  Notice the way your reactive thoughts begin to fade.  Take that negative energy and transform it into a positive, peaceful response. When you feel tired or fatigued, sad, or depressed, close your eyes and visualize your prana energy bubbling around your navel. Inhale, and see it rise up through your torso and into your chest and lungs.  See it encompass and infiltrate your heart.  Allow this positive, energizing force to lift you up and set you free.  

Take with you, as you finish reading this, an awakened sense of energy, compassion, and vitality and share it with all those you encounter.

~Namaste.