remain calm in the heart
about a week ago, one of my yoga teachers shared a few words about inner peace before practice began.
PEACE… it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
i began to inquire what it means to be calm in my heart. my first opportunity came at utkatasana. the mutha of all poses. i had a small freak out moment: are we done yet? are we done yet? then asked myself to slow my roll with the chatter, find the calm, and just breathe.
as class continued, i found my attention drifting externally, thinking about a new client i just picked up, and the internal panic associated with wanting to do a good job. there, i found another moment to seek calmness by bringing attention back to my breath.
in another class, the woman next to me offered a challenge in her body odor and though inside i was going like this: !!!! i recognized it was another opportunity to remain mindful and calm.
there is much work to do with this intention. but i've been experiencing these moments as exercises in preserving my energy. rather than giving attention to external distractions, i'm keeping it for myself. perhaps seeking calmness in the heart is another way of tapping into inner wisdom and intuition. perhaps i am my own lifeline, and have what i need to move through challenge and difficulty.