Friday, June 17, 2011

Wahe Guru

Something happened to me today. And it was wonderful.

Ten days ago I made a committment to practice yoga for 21 days. Every day. The decision was prompted by a Yoga Journal article from January of this year. I skimmed it and realized I needed to do this. And so I embarked on daily yoga practice. I did not think it would be such a big deal. I usually take 3 or 4 classes a week, have practiced in some form since I was about 10.

Yoga home

I was so wrong.

I am in Day 10 and something happened to me today that has not happened in a very long time.

Yoga away

I finished my asana practice and settled in to savasana, relaxing into meditation state. I was listening to a beautiful piece called Wahe Guru by Mantra Girl. And then I felt it. You can call it prana or qi or Life force but it began to resonate in my hands, my hands open at my sides as I lay supine. It built, the heat and life. I felt it and tentatively invited it in and then it moved slowly, waves of it up through my wrists and then through the crook of my slightly bent elbows, up through my biceps and the hollow of my armpit and the waves from each arm met and crested and enveloped my heart, pulsing with more than beats now.

I was weeping, completely present and completely overwhelmed. And I felt a connection that I have not felt in many many years. A connection to everything, and then to Nothing. The song faded out and I slowly came to sitting and gratefully curled forward, bowing namaste to the trees framed by the window in the room where I was practicing.

Yoga up

I came out to my boys, usually so animated, quietly playing with legos. Tim was on an errand and I just sat with them, letting the experience settle into me, expecting it to go. And yet it stayed, has stayed, I can feel it this minute while I type.

I looked up the Sanskrit translation of Wahe Guru, it means 'Wonderful Teacher', interpreted sometimes as god. I realize I want to feel that way everyday, every moment but there is also the realization that I am not sure I could remain that open and function. I am glad to know where to find it again, to fill the well.

Yoga release

Getting on the mat daily, practicing the asanas I love and also the ones I hate has shifted something inside of me. It is making me a diffrent person. I feel both frightened and encouraged by this as I feel it strip away and strengthen the core, not just the physical one but also the one that lies at the very heart of my Self.

Daily yoga is directly changing my life right now. A part of me is astonished that it took me so long to find this shift. Another part wants to learn Sanskrit. And another is just so grateful for those moments today.

Yoga me

7 comments:

jillian said...

That is fantastically wonderful!

studio meyer said...

a wonderful thing. i love that picture of you practising with the toys in the background. keep feeling good :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful...
I just started with Pranayama yoga on Wednesday. The first yoga I've ever done. We have a famous pranayama yoga teacher working for our company and he's in Lux for a couple of months. We had class 3 nights in a row and have 3 more on the next 3 days. In some ways I'm way more supple (elastic) than I expected and in others I'm wondering how the heck I'm supposed to do THAT hehehe.
I hope to be able to find a class where I can continue with the yoga, but maybe not on a daily basis just yet (still adjusting to a new and demanding job).

Anonymous said...

wow, yoga everyday, i would love to do that. i really need something to help me calm my mind, and teach me how to be more present in the moment.

K8 said...

This is inspiring. I just started practicing yoga again, and even picked up a travel mat to take with me for my month in Ireland. I'm hoping to make it a part of my daily life eventually, something I make time for rather than something that takes up time. Thanks for sharing this experience, it's very motivating :)

Lesley Barr Photography said...

I love this post. You are so inspiring. I am rather new to yoga, but have found it life changing. Thank you so much for sharing something so deep, I hope to find it one day.

As a side note...how in the world do you get peace knowing your boys are just out the door? I have almost 5 year old twins and they won't let me do yoga alone to save my life.

Brian Galinos said...

Yoga has been changing many lives..... all you have to do is belive