Bhakti month at
Laughing Lotus is a time of celebrating love in all its forms: romantic love, divine
love, self love. Our yoga practice makes our connection with love even more
rich, and all the more tangible. We become lovers of being in love, basking in the
afterglow of how wide open our hearts can actually get through the practice of
devotion.
But at some point, in some cold, harsh moment, we realize
that all this love-giving and love-making will land us in a tear-filled heap of
brokenness. Someone will break our heart, some moment will disappoint us, and
just as quickly as we thought we had it all, our greatest joy can be taken
away.
Intellectually, we know this to be true. Life teaches us
again and again that love and loss go hand and hand, and that it's "better to
have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all." But somehow this great
glowing heart and the physical body that holds it can respond differently. We
become scared, protective, and overly cautious of what feels like a wounded
part of ourselves. We start to avoid moments or interactions that might stretch
us too far. "I might get hurt!" we fear. We create versions of our lives that
feel safe and predictable, thinking, "I never want to feel that kind of pain
again!" Our physical body becomes more rigid, shoulders rounding and tension
moving into the joints. We create an encasement around our emotional and
spiritual selves of "protection" because the realities of life have felt too
brutal. Humans have a very hard time reconciling that life involves both great
love and great loss.
But I would like to suggest a concept that asks us to
seriously step up to the spiritual plate. It's one I'm working on diligently
and without quite having mastered it, it's something I do believe to be true:
Our losses make our capability to love even greater--if we let them.
I once read a thought by a Talmudic Rabbi and this idea has
given me motivation each time my heart has been broken. The saying goes: When the heart is broken wide open, GOD
floods in.
What is God but pure, unblocked, unquestioned love? When
life deals us a deck of cards that we judge as unfair or painful, don't we
somehow end up growing to understand the meaning of that challenge at a later
point in time? Can't we all agree that it's the challenging losses in life that
have shaped us into the character-filled, dynamic, complex individuals we are?
So what if we take that a step further and as yogis, as
seekers of light, we begin to accept moments of loss and challenge as opportune
moments where we can let God flood
in? Or, in other words, to become more loving beings?
If we have lost a great romantic love, we will most
certainly appreciate the next great love when he or she walks into our lives,
and with even greater depth. If we have lost someone to death, their memory and
impact on our lives becomes even more precious. If we miscarry, the baby we eventually
hold in our arms will be even more of a miracle. If we lose a job, we discover
our own industrious nature to create the next unique opportunity.
But most importantly is that through our moments of
suffering and loss we become part of a great chain of compassion, holding deep
understanding for every other person who has felt a similar loss. To look in
another person's eyes and to say, "I truly understand."
Now God is flooding
in.
As we celebrate love and delight in its many forms, let us
also dance with the highs and lows of life. Instead of resisting its flow,
breathe into life, go with it, and watch your heart get bigger and wider with
each incredible vinyasa.
Here are a few of my favorite heart opening asanas. Let each
shape remind you that we have a choice to embrace the many dimensions of love.
Uttita Trikonasana with some extra love.
Allow your top arm to drift behind your back in triangle post. The hand will hold onto your upper thigh. Begin rolling your upper shoulder back, turning your ribs higher and leaning your upper body back into your supportive arm. Trust that you can help your heart further open.
Ardha Chandrasana and then some!
From half moon pose, begin to bend your elevated leg at the knee. The top hand will reach back and find the ankle. Keep breathing as you find the beautiful balance between staying grounded and opening the heart.
Anjanayasana with all your intention!
Once you have your back leg grounded into the floor, use
your shin and front foot to ground the pose. Your intention to lift and extend
your heart space will allow this pose to naturally expand. Think of how far
you're willing to open to every experience of your life and let this shape be a
symbol of that willingness!
Ustrasana to the max!
It can be easy to lose your breath in camel pose, just as it can be easy to "not breathe" when times are tough. The key is to breathe confidently and fully even as you completely urge your heart higher and higher.
Experience the delight of opening your heart so fully! Namaste!
