How to begin? Receive the dance. In life everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. Some things in life are out of our control with regard to the beginning, middle and end, while other things are very much within our control. Yoga is a science that has the ability to help us better understand our role in creating or absorbing the beginning, middle and end of all things in our lives. Yoga lengthens our antenna creating music out of static, which gives us strength to ride the tides of change that shift events from beginning, middle and end. The more we fill our lives with music the more we will enjoy the dance.
When you sit with your eyes closed the awareness of your breath links you to a better understanding of your inner body. In example, shallow breath entails that your being is mired in static, while a deep breath indicates music. Breath is a dancer. She embodies us to begin our life and she exhales herself out of us at the end. If the dancer is in charge of the beginning and end – who controls the middle and where is the music?? The truth both beautiful and painful is that to a large extent we control a lot of what happens in the middle.
The movie Black Swan portrays one woman’s attempt to embody both the innocent, demure white swan and the sultry, exotic black swan. She must dance on both the light and dark sides of the reality of her existence. In each of us there lives a white and black swan. On most days we have a measured balance of light and dark. Yet exposure and confrontation to different variables in all aspects of our lives can pull the balance of light and dark to one extreme. Over a period of many days, months or years we may only hear static, only see darkness. The middle portion of our dance can feel out of rhythm and uninspired. Luckily to begin again, to freshen up our attitude, is always our choice.
In the season of New Year we have a tangible mark to inspire us to begin. There is a dance already in place for each of us. We have an opportunity to take stock of where the dance is in all areas of our lives. Maybe we even have a voice in determining what can come to an end and what we want to begin. In our practice it is important to consider which poses, people, circumstances create challenge. Often it is easier to avoid that which is unfamiliar or challenging. But it is usually within that confusion or challenge where we find the most growth and ability to release negativity more fully. Challenge yourself to go in and meet those things you typically avoid as a result of fear. Confront confusion. You will always get an answer. It may not be what we expect or hope for, but once confronted there is almost always a release. If we choose not to go in – to avoid the challenges in our lives – then they are always lingering. We give those things power by allowing them to become whatever we most fear. Stamp it out and kick up your heels at the joy of the release! You are powerful. Go deeper and meet the reality. Chances are it isn’t as scary as you have allowed it to be. And then? Freedom to dance to the most beautiful music – your interpretation leads – full, bright and free.
In Black Swan the dancer lost herself in the darkness. But it was by her choice. We can learn from our darkness and we can choose to use it to knit more lightness into our step, more music for our delight. We can walk right into darkness and emerge finding its usefulness and letting the remains burn. The challenge and the fullness of the middle all depend on how we begin, how we take our seat – how we align our attitude. What have you learned from the last year? How do the light and dark moments inform and change how you will respond to this new beginning?
Our challenge is to process our experience, filter what is useful and let that which is un-useful end. Begin fresh with everything useful that you have been given both from light but also from darkness. And truly allow yourself to let go of the un-useful parts of the darkness. Dance in your light. Namaste.
