“P∙R∙A∙C∙T∙I∙C∙E MAKES THE MASTER”

A friend/teacher and I were having a conversation just last week about if - no, WHEN - the time comes and we have to deal with capital 'L' Life, will all the practice we have done ’be enough'? 

And then, as if on cue, I was given a pop quiz - or maybe a pop final exam. Not sure I get that A+ my inner perfectionist always strives for, but I would say I at least passed. 

I am left feeling extremely grateful — for my work in the medical field, and maybe more importantly, for my Yoga practice. 

Long story short (first of all - all is 100% fine): within 10 minutes of returning home with my husband after his hip replacement surgery mere hours earlier, I found myself using one hand to hold him stable as he lost consciousness and convulsed, and the other hand to hold the phone and call 911. I was in action mode getting sh*t done - as well as mommy mode comforting my terrified and sobbing children. 

I attribute my ability to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses needed to my Yoga practice. I attribute my ability to get him the correct diagnosis and care needed (a whole other story…) to my work in the medical field. 

When I guide yoga classes, I often say (and quote my teacher Coby Kozlowski) “I offer a practice flowing on the mat SO THAT it might support you to flow with and ride the waves of life off the mat”. I’m here now to tell you (perhaps again) - it really does work.

In my processing of the experience so far (it just happened two days ago) - as cliche as it may sound - it was pretty much a matter of breath and presence, which allowed for activating the witness and an expanded container. 

My offering and sharing of what supported me:

• BREATH: simply focusing on each (of my own, controllable) inhale and exhale allowed me to remain in the (crappy and unfortunate) here and now

• PRESENCE: instead of going down the rabbit hole of ‘what ifs’, I remained with what was real and true, and the basic facts of what was actually happening in the moment

• WITNESS: expanding my awareness of what was happening and watching it as an observer AS I took the action steps necessary to deal with what needed to be dealt with allowed me to remain calm (ish) 🙃

• CONTAINER: the ability to simply notice the activation in my nervous system and sit with the energy of it allowed me to feel and engage with the powerful experience happening WITHOUT letting it hijack my ability to skillfully engage - because, man oh man, was there a lot that required skillful engagement

And that, my friends, is the Yoga.

Skillful engagement in and participation with life.

Riding the waves.

So simple, so profound.

Try it out.

Try it now.

In the (perhaps relative) calm.

So WHEN - not if - the waves of life come, you can ride them with skill, grace, presence, ease.

The waves will be rough and tumbling and try their hardest to throw you off and send you under the current gasping for air and light and breath.

You have everything you need inside of you to not only survive, but to thrive.

Practice now.

Practice often.

Practice it so that you might master it.

And then practice some more.

And perhaps most importantly - practice with joy.

xo