Bring on the Light

David in Sirsasana

"It’s good to do uncomfortable things. It’s weight training for life."   - Anne Lamott

I love the above picture taken during our recent trip to India. Being over a month since we were there, it feels much longer. A world away. The days have been moving at breakneck speed. Even though it is quite chilly in Stockholm, with the temperatures hovering around freezing, some days above, some days below, I am enjoying the light. The days are becoming longer rapidly. That is how it is here. We live in extremes when it comes to darkness and daylight. Now, we are entering into normalcy, but not for long. Soon, the days will become long, to dramatically long. Which I have to say, I like. The brightness of the Sun here is stunning. Unlike anywhere I have been. Even versus tropical places visited, there is a divine quality to the sunlight in Sweden that seems to sparkle. Must be all the water. Dunno. At any rate, it's a site to see, and believe me, Swedes don't take it for granted. Basking, faces lifted, catching rays whenever, and wherever they can. After a looooong winter, it's just what the doctor ordered. Believe me.

So, I'm in training. Gearing up for an even earlier wake up call. Through the years I've morphed myself into an early morning person, but not quite as early as 3:00 am. Yeah. Done it while practicing in Mysore, but it's much different without the stressors of daily life and all it comes with. I'm not complaining (much, haha). I'm happy to do it. I've heard debates whether it's simply better to practice after teaching (quality of life thing), and I've tried both - teaching before and after - and practicing before teaching just feels better. Maybe this will change, but it's what feels good for now. When I taught in Taiwan I got used to getting up at around 3:30 am. More out of necessity because of the godforsaken heat! You gotta do what you gotta do. However, above all, if feels good to practice first, to center, to give to myself so I can better give to the students. You know?

So with that being said, the development of the days since leaving India have been miraculous. Leaps of faith have always taught me something. One, that no matter what, the pieces will fall in the way they are meant to fall. I mean, do I really have control, anyway? Better to acknowledge the beautiful design behind everything than to fight it. Two, trust. So much comes down to trust. Trusting myself. Having faith in the process, in life, in the journey, strengthened and cultivated through daily practice. Three, well, to have fun. To laugh at it all and not take it too seriously. I mean really, laughter heals!

"Are you searching for the river of your soul?
Then come out of your prison.
Leave the stream
and join the river
that flows into the ocean."            

- Rumi