They say that we teach what we most need to learn. I teach yoga, have for decades. And yes, I do still need to remember the tools that come with it – to breathe, detach, stay centered, open and calm. It is very humbling to realize this.
Recently, I was reminded of how difficult it can be to remember my soul and tend to it, while under stress. When life becomes too full and we are forced to deal with unusual and difficult situations, I found that I didn’t have the capacity to reflect on the larger picture. I only had the ability to handle what was in front of me, and not much else.
How do we reach the soul, when the outer world has such a full and ready arsenal? When forces, way beyond our control, come at a relentless pace: an endless pandemic, (at least in our country), painful separation, much loss and total confusion, to name a few. How do we find and maintain our center, in the midst of so much chaos? I believe we first need to remember that we always have choice and to realize the power we have when we set intention. And, most importantly, to remember that we have inner resources deep within us that, for a lot of the time, go untapped.
I only have to think of my four Grandparents to feel the force of this immense inner power. Each of them left the land of their birth in Italy and the Ukraine, at a young age, totally alone, without knowing the English language, to come to this country. They traveled across a vast sea of unknown, trusting themselves and something much larger, that could not be seen. They learned to take one step at a time, in communities that formed in this new land, with people from their old land. They joined forces, perhaps with a deeply emotional ancestral awareness, rooted in their heritage, which most likely propelled everyone further along, as a united people.
If we all go back into our lineage, we will most likely discover ancestors who did this very thing. They had the determination to start at ground level and build from there.
I know, without a doubt, that my Grandparents had strong souls. I also know that they live within me, everyday. I connect with them each morning, thanking them for their strength, their resolve, their endurance and their courage and for the lives they lived, so that I could be here now.
When you think about it, we are all souls travelling different paths, learning a myriad of things to enrich our lives, open our hearts and to grow our souls. There will always be much to learn, if one chooses to look.
May we all remember to see each other as the Light that we are.