As I ponder the topic “It’s A Wonderful Life,” messages came while my mind searched for “material.” If we think of any classic story of inspiration and wonderment, it is never filled with ever and only blissful moments. By living we can usually see that something is to be learned, if not gained, in the moments that don’t feel so wonderful.
Before sitting to pen this, I was on Facebook, something I reluctantly joined a year ago. Life seems saner for me without too much technology.
There was a fabulous one minute clip on failure and all those who were told they would be failures, like Abe Lincoln, the Beatles and Michael Jordan. Someone’s comment on that clip became the title for this article. I had never seen that one before but liked it a lot. It brings to mind Yogi Bhajan’s quote “the biggest saints were the biggest sinners.” That one-minute clip, these brief moments, can give us inspiration through the wonder of the technology we have available at this point in time.
In comparison to the technology we move so quickly with these days, I received a snail mail postal package a few days ago, simply marked “Yoga pupil” on the return address from Pennsylvania. In the package was one of my old business cards no email address, no website, simply some images on the card, the words yoga trainer and my home phone number, no cell phone. On the two yoga books enclosed was a Stick-em saying, “ I am so sorry it has taken me so long to return these. I truly lost track of time.” It was all a bit mysterious. I reflected on how, in the time she had lost track of, things change. I then received a call from a woman who said she had worn out two of my “Clearing Your Chakras” audiocassettes (also dating things—how things have changed!) and asked if we had it now in CD format. These moments are actually a wonder for me, these communications seemingly coming out of nowhere, unexpected and from relatively long ago. These moments may appear small but to me they are filled with the wonder of inter connectedness, the wonder of surprise, good surprises, that can affirm us as people or the work we do or the relationships, even ones forgotten, that we have or have had. On a day that you may feeling like that disaster, a package or phone call may come to let you know you are not, or that you or what you are doing is worthwhile, is having an impact on someone.
In yoga practice the goal is self-mastery. In yet another Facebook post I recently saw, a young yoga aspirant who I know, who spoke about her path to enlightenment. I remember thinking I was going that way myself in my early years of yoga practice. Now I realize that the path of self-mastery is long and will take more practice than a lifetime. We likely will never get there but, as the Dali Lama said, yes, in a recent Facebook post (!), if we can step by step, inch by inch, make changes that improve us as human beings – that is perfect progress (I am paraphrasing). As we move towards wisdom the less we really feel we know.
Then there are the phases of life (and yoga practice). Can we hold them in wonder instead of wishing we were someone else, somewhere else? Could self-acceptance be the greatest wonderment of all?
Life itself is a wonder, with its complexities, challenges and rewards. Yoga is a useful tool to be more in our life with awareness. All life is connected by this thing called prana,
Life force. Swami Rama, in the book Lectures on Yoga (that the “Yoga Pupil” kindly returned to me after a few years loan) says that prana is composed of two words – pra, which means first, and na, which means energy. The first unit of energy is in its subtlest aspect in the human; the universe is its expansion, says Swami Rama. Thus, there is no difference between man and the universe, a profound concept, no?
To expand the prana in yoga we practice pranayama. Prana sustains the body and without its help the body and mind could not exist. In other words, prana sustains life. Both food and breath contain prana. Prana moves the mind and through the mind it moves the will. Prana relates our individual soul to the cosmic soul (or Supreme Being) (also Swami Rama).
These are concepts that we may grasp in the intellect, which is one aspect of yoga, yet the practice of pranayam is what helps us to awaken the vital energy in such a way that the yogi, with practice, experiences “unique joy and is freed from the bondage of time” (Swami Rama). More basically, this is why we feel wonderful after a good yoga practice where we move the body and breath, thus affecting our mind.
Is it not some strange wonder that each of us has a body and mind? Swami Rama put it this way (Boy, am I glad the yoga pupil sent me back the book!)
“If prana ceased to exist, thoughts would never arise, for the relationship between prana and the mind is that of the supporter and the supported – the relationship between a flower and a fragrance. A comprehensive knowledge of pranyama is therefore of paramount importance in controlling the mind”.
He goes on to speak about the importance of knowing our breath, our nostrils and techniques to work with these to help colds, headaches, depression and other disorders. Is that not a wonder that our ever-present breath is there to alter our physical and emotional state if we just become acquainted and work with it?
There are various ways to change the flow of the breath. Swami Rama offers an interesting one, a way most people might not know. Make a fist of the hand opposite to the nostril that is blocked and press it into the armpit opposite of the blocked nostril. It will open. Yogi Bhajan taught that if we had used our mind to focus on changing the breath from a young age it would be easy to do.
More commonly taught breathing techniques include alternate nostril, skull shining and breath of fire. To learn more about these helpful techniques consult a competent teacher or a yoga textbook (or find them online!).
Kundalini Yoga has an excellent book that deals with the breath called Prana Pranee Pranayam (2006) by Kundalini Research Institute, which is challenging to find but worth it.
Our DVD The Awakening begins with a segment showing long deep breath and breathe of fire on the back.
One of the best ways to experience the depth of the breath is to lay flat on your back, relax, and breathe in and out of the nostrils slowly feeling the inhale fill the belly and the exhale empty it, like a balloon or the waves of the ocean. This is a great antidote to stress and helps balance our energy. It only takes a few minutes a day. With practice we can progress to a more advanced breathing expansion.
We may not be enlightened or become a Master, yet with practice some of our haunting thoughts may become less. We may feel less like a “disaster” deep down inside. Instead we may begin to grasp more of the beauty and wonder of our breath, our life, each moment and how we feel in that moment, whether challenged or elated.
Please visit our website for more information about our small, personalized retreats and Holiday Retreat December 26th-31st. Chosen Top Ten Yoga Retreats World wide in 2009 and 2010, (888) 235-2395.
Donna Amrita Davidge owns and operates www.sewallhouse.com in her great grandfather’s historic home where TR learned the healing attributes of nature with her husband Kent Bonham, chef and musician, in Island Falls Maine and still teaches in NY City when not retreating with guests in Maine. Small, personalized yoga retreats and classes are offered, with 25 years teaching experience.
Donna and Kent invite you to their third yoga and walking retreat in Umbria Italy
October 22-29, 2011 / deposits due December 31, 2010.
Please see brochure at http://www.sewallhouse.com/Donna%20&%20Kent%20Umbria,%20Italy.pdf if you would like to join us