Blossoming: Yoga Class Reading

Have you ever fell in love with a book before you've even read it? I fell in love with The Poetry of Yoga and I don't own a copy of it and I haven't read it. But I know that once I do get it I will savor every part of it. I was fortunate enough to have found a poem from the book by Janet Arnold-Grych. I read it to my classes for 2 weeks and multiple students came up to me after and mentioned various parts that were their favorites. (I will be putting The Poetry of Yoga on my Christmas list for next year!)

Blossoming

In the beginning,

With each unraveling of the mat,

We are anxious to add to our garden,

To gather the beautiful buds,

And coax each asana to open quickly.

Feet in the dirt we stand,

Sometimes for the first time,

Connecting earth to muscle and muscle to sky,

The energy of an immense lineage

Pulsing with promise.

But as the poses settle,

As we settle,

We find that yoga's true gift is not about more

But less.

The outline of the poses remain the same.

Yet when the space between in fed,

When ease replaces expectation,

When patience replaces petals,

We find that the asanas are no longer

About holding on,

But betting go.

And in that release,

Without judgement or force to impede,

Breath floods in,

Releasing the mind and freeing the heart.

Through yoga,

We find

That core of serene nothingness,

And learn that in letting go,

We gain everything.

From The Poetry of Yoga Volume 2 (Page 41)

Question of the Day: What is your favorite poem or quote? I'm always looking for more to read in class!