i overheard a conversation between a father and son one day. the father
told his little boy that sometimes you have to do things that you really
don’t want to do. his advice: when you have to do something that you don’t
want to do, distract yourself and think about something else. he, the father
does it all the time. for instance, when he is biking to work and it starts
to rain, he imagines it’s a sunny day.
'rather than categorize and label our life experiences into good/bad, right/wrong,
like/don’t like, yoga invites us to be open to each moment of our lives
and let go of judgement. this is easier said than done, but it is possible.
although we all have preferences and desires - most of us prefer a warm
sunny day over a cold wet one - but being aware of the things we resist
and practicing openness is an invaluable experience. when we are open we
understand and appreciate the gifts of a rainy day just as equally as a
sunny day'.
a man was shouting at a woman who was walking her dog in the park. he was angry because as she stood talking to a friend in a corner of the park just opposite his house, his dogs were becoming increasingly agitated at the site of her dog playing. the woman shouted back that it is a public park and she could stand wherever she pleased.
'we live on a very crowded planet with nearly seven billion people. cumulatively our actions have a huge impact, we are changing the earths climate. individually our actions also have a huge impact for everything is interconnected. a yoga practice reminds us to be aware of that which is actually happening and respond appropriately. we need not look to the law or social conventions for guidance, we need just to look within, to feel, with sensitivity, honesty, openness, generosity and focus'.
a dog was roaming around on a country road and got hit by a car. the driver passed two cars that were stopped, crossed onto the opposing lane when he eventually saw the dog in the road. he slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. the dog cried out. miraculously, the dog then emerged from beneath the car and ran off, seemingly unharmed – it seems the combination of being a small dog and the car being very high off the road, the dog apparently escaped any major injury.
'so often we are focused on a specific destination, we are hardly present for the journey. a yoga practice helps us develop mindfulness, so that we are present to each moment. so that as we drive to wherever somewhere, we experience the journey as well. so that our journey is safe for us and those around us'.