Awakening, the River, the Cold and Sunshine

While this morning was perhaps, the coldest since last winter, it was also sunny and beautiful beyond words. I was elated after leading my wonderful garden of morning yoginis through a challenging practice of backbends and inversions in the middle of the room. All arose to the occasion - no pun intended, as they awakened and deepened in the recognition of who they truly are at their essence...

Afterwards, I drove to mail a birthday present to a very special child celebrating her 14th birthday this week. I was pretty creative, having done some investigation into the meaning of her unique name, and having found a statue of an enlightened being bearing the same name!

Then, I drove down to the river, to spend a few minutes. I wanted to go in, but I knew it was just a little too cold for that...

As I longingly looked on at the trees on the other side of the river, I reflected on these lines posted on Twitter this morning by Dr. Paul Haider, that spoke to me:

"I am a seed that falls from the mighty oak (God),
whirling down to the mighty river below,
floating along, I know not where,
but I trust the river (God).
Deep within my seed (My Heart)
I know all will be well,
for each turn on the river is driven
by a swirl of current (My Soul)
to land on the banks
of fresh loamy soil (Divine Connection)."

The river and its environs stir and awaken my soul, as I invited my students to do this morning. My communing with the river is in essence, a spiritual practice that has invited me over and over again without fail, to awaken.

I come home and I read these words...

"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

Once more, I am invited to awaken...

I sit in my office and review these insights written by Elena Brower, in her blog, who is an amazing Anusara Yoga yogini. I shared these words with my students at the conclusion of their practice this morning:

"Awakening is the process of bringing
your fullest attention to the moment...
The moment we awaken
we glimpse an evolving,
comforting balance within ourselves,
and with that balance we can serve -
in our families, our love, our work,
and our world..."

In her essay, Elena illustrates ways we can awaken - one of them involves self-reflection. At the end of her remarks she notes:

"..Our most useful gifts to the world [involves]:
to awaken, accept ourselves
and choose our course with elegance."

Let us all try to awaken more fully and deeply on this day, and in this moment - wherever we are - and whatever it is that we are doing!