Connection

In yoga it is said that everything is interconnected. This is not just about dependency to survive but also to evolve. We can see this at every level in the universe. The way that our sun interacts with our planet has made it possible for life to exist as we know it. We are realizing more and more how our interaction with nature also shapes our lives even if we live in a city.

At an individual level our interaction with each other constantly shapes and changes our experience of each other and ourselves. People and events can change our view of the world in very subtle and very dramatic ways for better or worse. It is in this process of interactive connection that our consciousness evolves. The more we are aware of this the faster we can learn and the more conscientious we become about how we affect others and ourselves.

In our yoga practice we are called to pay attention to how we move through postures. In meditation we learn to observe the fluctuating patterns of consciousness as they arise and subside. At some point in our yoga practice we realize that how we move or engage our legs can affect everything else. In meditation we realize how constantly dwelling in certain thought patterns can affect our state of mind.

I know that you have heard all this before but what yoga is inviting us to do is to make this kind of connection our constant experience and not just something we agree with. The more we are aware of this kind of connection the more juicy, exciting, and meaningful our lives becomes. As my teacher once said we could actually wake up in the morning and say to life: Om Namah Shivaya. I welcome you. What will you show me today?