Did you stay up to watch the full moon eclipse the other night?
I did. Fortunately, there was a perfect break in the clouds for me to catch the last 20 minutes.
Things like this are incredible, like witnessing some miracle, especially when they seem so rare.
With a change in perspective, we might begin to realize that such incredible things, such miracles, are unfolding before our eyes and ears and hearts and noses and fingers and whole selves every single moment.
Did you smell the iris up the street unfurl its scent for the first time this season?
Or feel the massive change in temperature at 9:03pm last night with the breeze?
Or see the child stand and take their first step?
Did you hear that baby bird yawlp out its first sound? And did you have the sense to softly and kindly yawlp back with a welcoming smile?
How often do you feel the touch of the ground on your naked feet?
What would happen if you attuned yourself to such a way of life?
This is yoga, my friends.
This is what yoga is all about.
Sadly, too many think yoga is about making these seemingly impossible-to-perfect shapes on some special yoga mat. Even more sadly — and ridiculously — too many think one needs special gear made by the ‘right’ brand to do yoga.
But yoga at its roots is far, far different.
Tonia Smith and I look forward to welcoming a new circle of friends who will remind each other of what ‘yoga’ is. Our style of yoga invites slow and gentle rolling around on the ground or bed; our style of meditation is informed by some of the best ideas out there in NLP. Anyone can do it — and in fact, once you’ve explored it all a bit with us, you’ll come to know that this is what you’ve been doing all your life in moments of awakening…in the very best moments of life.
What would happen to our world if we all lived in such a way, such a way that awakens to eclipse and iris and temperature change and child and baby bird and bare ground?
What would happen?
Would wars stop?
They might.
Would we all wake up to climate change and act?
We might.
Would we be more loving, more in love with life?
We might.
All are welcome in our circle — though time is running out to join. We will save a spot for everyone who registers with us by Tuesday, May 24. The circle convenes a month from May 24, though there are volunteering things you’ll need to do to join us.
All the details are here, including some samples of the styles of meditation and ‘roll-around-on-the-ground-or-bed’ yoga we play with at VITALITY:
Have a friend in mind somewhere else in the world who might want to join? Perfect! Our group meets through Zoom so joining in is easy. Please do share this email with a friend!
Time is running out — in more ways than one. The irises need us to notice them!
Come, let’s awaken to the miracle in which we live and have our being!
Brian Shircliff
PS Inner Journey Journaling is TONIGHT at 7pm via Zoom, led by the great Penny Costilla — hope you can join in! 🙂
