Spring Reflections 2022 : The Beauty & Gift of Observation
Grounding is an integral piece of our path towards waking up. When we come to our cushion or mat and stop the chatter, our breathing becomes synchronized and our bodies respond with a sigh. I feel it in almost every class that I teach. Most are tired and overwhelmed with the complexities of our everyday lives. As students arrive to class it’s a transition to be still. We sit together quietly without socializing or trying to make small talk. The murkiness of the day begins to clear even knowing it's only temporary. When we eventually stand together in Tadasana anchoring our heels into the floor with awareness and intention they are grounded and I am too. My gaze tracks downward towards their feet, where I find the first signs of secret distress. It’s valuable information that helps me help them. I witness without judgment. Each student is unique and enters the sacred container we have created together with their own karma and it is my place to recognize and celebrate them for the gifts that they offer.
When I observe feet, I might find an elegant swoop of the inner arch like a cathedral, a collapsed arch, or gripping toes, a lifted big toe mound, or toes unable to spread from wearing high heels or tight shoes. I see a blackened toenail - may be a runner, I think. I see bunions of dancers wearing their past like badges of honor. I see weak inner ankles- an exhausted mother as I once was. I see who has come straight from the office, and who feels stressed or tired. These observations are a reminder that beauty does not exist without its shadow. The common denominator here is that everyone wants to be free from suffering. Whether it’s back pain, anxiety, grief, or depression we share the aspiration to be liberated. As we dispose of the clutter from our day, my voice softens, we lunge and our hip flexors soften. The body armor begins to dissipate. I am the facilitator and not the director. We are in union with my voice navigating but not manipulating. We board the ship together and the course we are on is flexible so I’m ready for a change in the weather on this journey.
Always remembering the tenderness of this human existence, I pause. The body always retains its baggage, no matter how hard we try to leave it out of the practice space. Our clinging to ego fixation creeps in but, if we look closely and listen deeply, we may be able to assist our body’s relationship to the ground it walks upon. These differences that we acknowledge actually give rise to our buddha nature and a kind of vibrancy and courage to watch, recognize and listen to the subtle cues of our body like a secret door into greater awareness. It is a gift to be called “teacher” and to stand and feel the ground underneath me with these warriors.
