Limitless

I visit the river for the first time in weeks...It is cold, and as I make my way through the park and to the riverbanks, I notice all the downed trees that succumbed to the 34 to 40 inches or so of snow that came down mere days apart...

The river is very wide and seems so vast. I cannot remember the last time that Grace, my kayak, took me out to enjoy and explore these healing waters...

The river is truly limitless - the theme I used in my yoga class this morning...

We live in a world that imposes so many limits on us - but perhaps not more than the limits we impose on ourselves...

And yet, if we are truly made in the image and likeness of the Divine - as so many religious traditions teach - how can we be in any way - truly limited?

Even poets and teachers have indicated that we are without limit:

"The whole universe is inside of you.
Ask all from yourself!"
~ Rumi

"The universe is inside of you,
and you are the universe...
Return to the self
and know your own secret!
The whole universe
can be known within the self."
~ Nityananda

I have shared these quotations before - the latter most recently. But I felt that my students needed to be reminded of this as we worked with extending and blossoming in the poses with "Organic Energy" - one of Anusara Yoga's Universal Principles of Alignment.

We also worked with Anuloma Pranayama, with bandhas, and the focus of our drishti - or gaze while doing yoga asanas or poses to enhance its meditative aspects. We explored some things that were planned and part of the syllabus - and some that were not - but hopefully all helped to contribute to a greater awareness of our essence as being one that is fundamentally without limit.

As I gazed out at the river - these words by Sri Ramakrishna, whose birthday was on the 18th, came to me:

"Dive deep, O mind,
dive deep into the Ocean of God's Beauty:
If you can plunge into the uttermost depths,
There you can find the gem of Love."

May we always dive deep into ourselves and realize the Presence of the Divine is always there - however we envision that to be for us. For some of us, it may be more about realizing our fundamental connection to the universe. It does not matter. We are far greater than what we think we are. We are capable of so much. And our spiritual practices, are only a gentle reminder of that...

My theme this week was inspired by this poem by the yogini Danna Faulds, from her book, appropriately titled, Limitless: New Poems and Other Writings:

Limitless

Sun says, "Be your own
illumination." Wren says,
"Sing your heart out,
all day long." Stream says,
"Do not stop for any
obstacle." Oak says,
"When the wind blows,
bend easily, and trust
your roots to hold."
Stars say, "What you see
is one small slice of a
single galaxy.
Remember that vastness
cannot be grasped by mind."
Ant says, "Small does not
mean powerless." Silence
says nothing. In the quiet,
everything comes clear.
I say, "Limitless." I say,
Yes."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Love the poem ... something I needed to read as I continue to recover from surgery ... start PT in a couple of weeks, and I hope to be able to drive myself there :) Really miss my yoga classes ... looking forward to the Spring session starting. Take care ... I think of you often my friend. Sheila
Olga Rasmussen said…
Healing energy, blessings and love sent your way! Have been thinking of you!

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