Gratitude, Blessings, and Inner Spiral


Inner Spiral is the third of the Anusara Yoga Universal Principles of Alignment. You create an opening and widening in the body by taking the femur bones in, back, and apart.

I thought of how "Opening to Grace," the First Principle - creates the initial opening in the body. Then with the Second Principle - "Muscular Energy" - we hug into that sweetness.

I then realized how working with Inner Spiral would create a greater opening for blessings and gratitude to flow into our lives - which is my theme for the week. The practice itself, is an opportunity to embody gratitude and count one's many blessings in life.

As I reflected on my syllabus and practiced it several times, I received insights as to how to do some self assists to embody the action of Inner Spiral. I was excited as I allowed my body to slowly soak in the subtle, but wonderful experiences these assists provided...

I ended my classes with the song, "Prayer 2000" by Eliza Gilkyson, from her 1997 album, "Redemption Road." It is a beautiful piece my own teacher played one Thanksgiving in her classes. This song truly exemplifies gratitude, and it has brought me great solace these many months, reminding me of all the goodness and rich experiences that life has to offer.

From Gilkyson's web site:

"'Redemption Road'...is the story of a woman's odyssey through love, disillusionment, and self-reflection to find her voice. 'I was working with the concept of redemption on this recording, not in the religious sense, but more on the personal level.'"

Here are the lyrics to "Prayer 2000". May it elicit many reasons for you to count your blessings!

Thank you for the sun
Thank you for the full moon
Thank you for my true love's face
And our lives and love consumed.

Thank you for the stars
A home along the river
Thank you for the ancient groves
And the fishes brown and silver

Ponies running wild
Grass enough for grazing
Water flowing clean and pure
All the beauty that saved me

Thank you for the dawn
Oceans rise and falling
Children born to carry on
And the end that's always calling

Thank you for the songs
Thank you for all my good laughs
All the things that don't go wrong
And the hopes that don't give up

Thank you for my tears
Loved ones who forgave me
Thank you for my darkest years
All the sorrow that made me

Thank you for my tears
Loved ones who forgave me
Thank you for my darkest years
All the sorrow that made me
And the beauty that saved me

To hear or purchase this beautiful song, go to this link:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/gilkyson1

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