Rainy Day Musings

Today I stumbled across a story I shared with a yoga class awhile ago, and it really resonated with me.

There was a man who woke up one morning determined to paint his kitchen. So, he went to the store and got all the painting supplies he needed- paint, paintbrushes, drop cloth- and headed back home. He mixed the paint in the garage, and then carefully scooped up all of his supplies, a can of paint in each hand, drop cloth under his arm, paintbrushes and rollers stuffed in his pockets- but when he tried to get in the house, he found he was unable to open the door. How many times have you found yourself in that same situation? Too proud to ask for help or set down what he was carrying, the man struggled with the doorknob, trying in vain to get it open until he set himself off balance and ended up falling backwards, paint spilling, brushes flying every which way.

Often, the ego gets in our way and stops us from asking for help or from setting down what we are carrying. The "things we carry" is not always literal- emotional baggage and spiritual resistance can be the most difficult to let go of, but releasing them is the most vital to our mental well-being.

In life, the things we carry prevent us from crossing thresholds that we're struggling to enter. It doesn't have to be a struggle: all you have to do is let go. Set down what you carry; let go of what burdens you; ask for help from a friend- it is only when the fear, doubt, and anger that creates resistance inside you is released that you can move forward.

I find parallels in life and in yoga frequently, and this is no exception. You cannot find peace of mind with yoga if you stubbornly cling to expectations, ego, and negativity. It may be challenging at first, to allow yourself to be open and vulnerable- but that's the beauty of yoga. It's all practice. When a student has an image in their mind (or is comparing him/herself to others in class) of what their body should look like in any given pose, and stubbornly clings to that image, trying to force their body into a certain shape; that is not being respectful of the limits of their body, and sets them up for injury and defeat- the self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, let go of your ego. Let go of your expectations. Let go of self-doubt, worry, fear, and stress, and let your body and your breath guide you into YOUR perfect expression of any given pose.

"When one door of happiness closes, another one opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."         -Helen Keller