Tuesday, June 17, 2008

And In Other Words . . .

My wonderful friend Danny, an attorney and yoga instructor, sent me an email yesterday just a few minutes after my posting of the blog.  He had not seen it, and yet this email was directly related.  I want to share some of what he wrote . . .

"There are two fundamental lessons of yoga.  The first is skillful proportionate effort.  This is the one Americans are pretty good at:  hug in here, stretch long there, align you knee over your ankle, press into the floor, extend out from your pelvis, etc.

The second fundamental lesson of yoga is to surrender and receive.  This is the hard one. Before, during, and after the exertion of effort, we learn to remember that we are supported and cared for by an infinitely loving universe.  We learn to breathe into our back body and feel the loving support of God and of our friends, family, teachers, sponsors, and fellow travelers . . . we learn to ask for what we need, to reach out and connect and let others have the gift of lending us a hand.

. . . You are beginning to get the hang of surrendering and receiving.  In spiritual terms, once we have learned the lessons that our challenges were sent to teach us, the challenges themselves dissolve, evaporate, transform into gifts."

That is what I have been trying to communicate in three months of blogging all in one sentence. Thank you, Danny.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have had what I would refer to is a couple of "crappy" days filled with frustation because people are not doing what I want them to do...then I read your blog dear Bill and once again am reminded of what is truly important. You continue to inspire me. THANK YOU! Love, Paula