A Quiet Softness Creates A Softer Place to Land
I think it is valuable now and then to reflect on the road you have traveled. In those moments when things are happening to us and in us, we may not notice or understand what exactly is going on. When we look back, it almost seems, well, obvious and hard to believe we somehow missed seeing our needs or challenges while we were in the midst of the chaos. I once was a very driven type A person, living without mindfulness, driving myself into the ground and completely oblivious to my inner compass as to when to press on and when to yield. Nothing less than “perfect” was truly a success and it was all about the "doing." Perhaps this is a place that you too have been before. From that point of reference, the world seemed unforgiving, unrelenting, and I was not able to release myself from this destructive thought loop to any significant level. I was basically stuck in the “land of perfection, failure and fear.” Not a happy place.
Enter yoga. Although it took a while to start peeling away the layers of protection and start to see what the heck was under there, I did start to feel a change. It started as a quiet softness in my heart and has grown to be so much more. As I grow and evolve in my own practice of yoga and life, I continue to find new ways to live that create less suffering, bring me fully into the present moment, release fear, and embrace that steady unchanging light at my center of being. I see the world with less judgment, more acceptance, compassion and with a grace that is beginning to allow me to "step aside" and accept the wisdom and direction of the universe. Opening myself to a new way of thinking and living has given me a fresh start, a new perspective and ultimately, a softer place to land.
Through yoga, I have found a softer place to land on so many levels. A place that allows me to nurture myself, ask for and accept help, offer my help to others, and embrace not only my humanity, but my talents and passions in a fashion of unconditional appreciation for their existence. Life looks and feels different. Perhaps this opening is what precipitated my signature practice mat, the Whisper, which is a natural extension of that nurture. The Whisper literally offers a softer place to land. A product of many sessions of meditation, and countless hours of study on and off the mat, I was blessed with the idea for the Whisper which now represents my way to give back. My hope is that you too, will be open to nurture and peace; to a place where you can go deeper, be quieter, find that softness in your own heart and practice. A place of nurture and understanding not simply for yourself, but as a reflection of your being into the world.
Those of us in the Western world are not always attracted to the quiet, the stillness or the rest. Ironically, we seem to know on an intellectual level at least, that without the rest there is no work, without the stillness there is no action, without the quiet there is no “music of life.” And yet, it can still be difficult to choose to give ourselves the gift of balance and self love. Nurture yourself so that you may nurture others. Find compassion for yourself and it will be available to offer others, it truly is the most selfless thing to do. You need it, the world needs it. Find the wisdom to say, “yes” and the courage to honor your own needs. Within the silent celebration of your practice and that very sacred space of truth and peace, my wish is that you too will discover Quiet Mountain and find a softness at the heart of your practice; a softer place to land. I offer my continued prayers for your wellness, safety and happiness always.
Namaste,
 |
