In
the Mahabharata there is a story of a mongoose who witnesses a great act of
graciousness and hospitality. The
mongoose was living beneath the home of a family that is starving during a
famine. When an unexpected guest comes,
a stranger, the family readily offers him their last bowl of grain without a
second thought. The guest protests and one
by one they all insist he have it. He
does, and the food restores him to his full glory as Lord Yama. As a thank you to the family, he whisks them
way to a lifetime of great abundance.
After they leave, the mongoose rolls around in the crumbs left from this
final meal and it turns his fur golden in all the places it touches. The mongoose then spends the rest of his life
searching for more blessed crumbs to roll around in to turn the rest of his fur
golden.
I
have my own personal mongoose story (probably more than one, but let’s keep it
to one for the sake of simplicity!).
Years ago I had an ecstatic meditation experience that left me euphoric,
in a state of absolute elation and contentment for days afterwards. I walked around like I was in a trance, feeling
completely full, happy and peaceful. Even writing about it now I can remember the
effusive joy I felt for those couple of days. I then spent the better part of a
year trying to re-create that experience in my meditation practice. What did I eat that morning and the night
before? How exactly was I sitting? How much time did I do pranayama before
beginning meditation? What time exactly
did I start?
Needless
to say, I never had the same experience again.
I had days where my meditations were deep, rich and meaningful, and days
where it felt like the time on my cushion was a complete waste of time, but it
was never the same. Each day during that
time I would get up from practice somewhat disappointed because I wasn’t able
to recreate my ecstatic meditation experience again. And for all that time I missed out on the
gifts of the practice that I was actually receiving. How often do we miss the offering being
presented because we are searching for a different one? One of my teachers likens it to walking down
a hallway past an open door, getting to the end and banging on the locked one
at the end of the corridor trying in vain to get in. When we recognize the gifts that are actually
being offered, rather than the ones we were hoping for, we open ourselves to a
wider experience of life and can appreciate the fullness that the universe has
to offer us. Are there open doors you
are walking by in your life? Are you
pounding on a locked one to no avail?
I heard an interview years ago with Father Gregory
Boyle, who relayed this beautiful story: “The
desert monks, centuries ago, whenever they were greatly distressed or
despondent even would repeat a one word over and over again to themselves. And
the word wasn’t Jesus, it wasn’t love – the word was “Today”. I understand that mantra – it keeps you here,
it keeps you facing the person who’s facing you. It keeps you present to God revealed
magnificently in front of you.”
Let your mantra this week be “Today”.
Off the mat
practices:
Do
this several times throughout your day:
Take 5 deep breaths and let your mind become still for those
breaths. Become aware of what is good,
sweet and happy in the moment you find yourself in. Take 5 more breaths to revel in it. Proceed
with the rest of your day. Repeat.
When
you find yourself focusing on some past happy experience and realize you are
allowing it to distract you, first be aware that you are doing it. Give yourself a moment to feel gratitude for
that past moment, then do the exercise above!
On the Mat practices:
This
week we worked up to Vasisthasana (Sage Vasisthasa’s pose, otherwise known as
Side Plank) in our practice. Throughout
the practice we focused on staying grounded through the medial side of the hand
(the pointer finger side, especially the base of the pointer finger) to stay
grounded in the present moment, and at the same time externally rotating the
head of the arm bone (otherwise known as the shoulder) to open our hearts to
the blessings the present moment has to offer.
For
the Anusara junkies:
Open
To Grace: Be aware of the blessings of
everyday, simple moments.
Take
a breath and let it bring your awareness to the joy this moment holds for you.
Muscular
Energy: Engage your muscles to engage with what’s happening right here, right
now.
Draw
in the gifts that this pose has to offer you today.
Inner
Spiral: Widen your sit bones and expand your experience of the expansive in the
present.
Outer
Spiral: Root your tailbone into right now.
Anchor
your tailbone to anchor yourself in the gifts the universe is offering you in
this pose.
Organic
Energy: Celebrate the blessings of this moment.
Revel
in the reward of creating the pose to the fullest of your capacity.
