Tag: wisdom

Thankful for Remembering to Pause to Enjoy the Sunset

Day 3,970

Last week I had the privilege of joining the teacher’s meeting at Root Down Yoga. As we dove into a conversation about being present a teacher commented on something as simple as a sunset. “How many more of those will we have the opportunity to see in our lives?”

When one pauses to think about it, how many sunsets do we have left? Why don’t we slow down to soak up one of life’s beautiful moments more often?

Back when I was a kid I think my grandpa really understood the finite nature of life more so than most. When we would hang out with my grandparents for more than a week each summer he’d always seem to pause to watch the sunset.

One in particular I remember so vividly – a little for the jaw dropping sunset, but so much more from watching my grandfather’s awe and reverence for the setting sun. As he looked to it wistfully and watched it slowly melt into the horizon his face shown with gratitude, awe, and something else that I can only look back with my life experience to call “acceptance.” It was like he was seeing a much deeper and more insightful version of the same natural phenomena.

This evening after yoga I saw that my timing was just about right to run home, pick up Becky, and take in the sunset. Snapping pics, pausing to savor the view of an exemplary edition of the setting sun over the Mississippi River Valley.

Seeing that it is something be in awe of, the sheer beauty of the natural world.

Taking in the fact that to everything there is a cycle, a progression.

Understanding the impermanence of all things, the beauty created specifically from that fact.

Savoring a moment of breath, of presence.

Appreciating existence.

Thanks!!!

Day 1,968 – Thankful for Yoga Opening My Mind for Five Words of Wisdom

There are so many reasons I enjoy yoga tremendously. Throughout the day many of those benefits were in my thoughts. My body was very loose even though I was in the car a lot today. I felt incredibly well rested when I woke up this morning, the workout last night helped my drift off to sleep quickly and deeply. The calm and stillness from the focus of the practice last night rolled right into this morning and has stuck around all day. Those benefits were awesome, but there was another reason I was thankful for yoga last night.

Five simple words which have been turning in my head since the last third of last night’s practice…

Nick, our instructor, was pushing us hard yesterday in a very good way. He kept encouraging us to go just a little further, to hold our breath a little longer, to move into a slightly more difficult position than the one we’d chosen. Long story short, he was helping us find our edge and push right up against it in a highly supportive environment.

At one point after we finished a difficult pose he shared five words he’d learned from a past teacher. When Nick shared the coaching I was completely present, my breathing focused, my mind cleared of any thought other than my breath. He spoke and I listened intently. The words struck me powerfully, such a juxtaposition to the deeply quiet calm I’d slipped into throughout yoga.

Since sharing the words of wisdom they’ve been reverberating in my mind for so many reasons. They seemed to unlock something I’ve been unknowingly struggling with. With those five words in mind I handled several things differently today than I ever would have.

Yoga helped me get to a quiet place in which I was ready to truly hear the coaching and let it sink in completely. One more reasons to love yoga, it helps me quiet my brain and my soul so I can listen completely.

The words of wisdom?

“See your students as powerful.“

Thanks!!!