To Have a Body

One of my favorite parts of teaching yoga is hearing about everyone's injuries. Somehow it is comforting to hear that Matt's neck is bothering him or that Lisa has a frozen shoulder. (ok those are made-up names and injuries, but you understand, no?) 

My left knee has a strange new pain, and I have a rash across my belly and my wrist right now. (Thank you, poison oak!) What about you? What do you have going on? Don't be fooled when your mind tells you that others have it better. Maybe they do, but maybe not. All of us face injuries and illness. Many of us have disabilities of one sort or another. This is actually the rule rather than the exception. It can be hard to have a body, but where would you be without it?

Yoga can help us learn to be kind and patient with discomfort (aka pain). One of my least favorite poses is triangle pose. I do it anyway because it doesn't actually injure me, and it can be interesting to see how I relate to what is not my preference. I can avoid triangle pose, but what about that poison oak rash that is itchy, itchy, itching?

In other news, I have been headed to the neighbor's to pick up the extra horse poop! Right next to the horse paddock is a massive pile of 💩💩 ! The apple trees and the garden love the manure - turning green and fertile with the nutrients as it composts. After loading up Joe's Peace Chain van (which has turned into a farm truck), I always give the horses some apples or carrots. Certainly a few apples is nothing compared to the full van load, but let's all fall down in gratitude for what has been given. It is an exchange of blessings - the sweetness of an apple for manure. What do you have that inspires you to give back?

Take a moment and shed the busyness of the to-do list (yoga can help with this). Fall over in gratitude and offer what you have in thanks.