seva journal

Spring has been slowly revealing itself to us. This weekend my husband and I made our way to one of our favorite hiking spots in West Michigan to enjoy the weather and woods. Hitting this trail for the first time this year, even though we have walked this way more times than I can count, all seemed new and different somehow. The water levels were higher in the lake areas, and lower in the marshy areas. New trees had fallen and above me bare branches were showing off new buds. And more ubiquitous than the visible signs of Spring’s imminent arrival were the audible signs. We could hear bugs, frogs, and birds everywhere loudly heralding the new season.

We walked together, without talking much. There was no need. We were here to escape the sounds of our urban lives. I even attempted to walk with the softest of steps, hoping for a glimpse of some forest resident enjoying this day with me.

We missed our trail turn on the way back and ended up a little lost. We back tracked to the missed turn and laughed at ourselves for missing the markings. We got back into town late, too late to make it to our planned Yoga practice at Seva.

Riding home I was feeling a little pouty about missing my Sunday practice, but I think that the hike was my Yoga today. It was my union with something much larger than myself, and just like an asana practice or meditation, the quieter you are and the greater the stillness of the mind, the more that is revealed to you.

-michele

Oh how I love to be upside down.  Years ago, when I first began exploring inversions in my Yoga practice it was purely an ego thing.  I found it was easy for me to get upside down and therefore it was an asana of choice.  But this has all changed.  It hasn’t become any more difficult but there is something deeper I’ve discovered for myself in the asanas of inversion:  being upside down changes a person’s perspective on both physical AND emotional things. For instance, if you have a person, event, or emotion that is upsetting to you, try meditating upon it while in headstand. I find it very hard to remain angry or irritated while inverted — I simply fall over. But, when I find stability in the asana, clarity emerges in my mind as well.

My head can be full of ego and pride at times and if always left to lead…well you can imagine.  So letting my heart have its way over head gives me fresh perspective on things.  The rush of blood to the head, the reverse pull of gravity even lifting the outer corners of my mouth and letting my toes extend and reach open.  While my heart flame rises above the intellect, my head becomes grounded, well rooted, and practical.  Suddenly nothing seems as it was.  The heart gives my eyes fresh views on the world around me.

The whole thing is so transformative.  I think if I had no time in the day for anything else, this is the one thing that I would still give myself.

-michele

I have always considered March to be a big fat liar.  January and February calmly and clearly say winter.  But March deceptively says spring. In my experience of living in Michigan, March is just an extension of cold and bitter weather.  And is it me or does March seem like the longest month?

In the East, “the wheel of samsara” has been used for centuries to show the condition of suffering. The conditions of the ego that power the wheel are sometimes called the three poisons. They are desire, or attachment;  hatred, or aversion;  and ignorance, or illusion.  When one frees themselves from these conditions, it is said that one is free of suffering.

-Daniel