Through Different Eyes

As many of you know my nephew was visiting me for a week. It was so much fun to spend time with him and show him New York City. Actually, I made the point to help him discover his own New York. The first thing he wanted to do was to go to the pizza place where Peter Parker worked in Spiderman 2. We went on a ghost tour in Greenwich Village. He is interested in history and swords and daggers so we went to through the Metropolitan museum for four hours taking pictures of swords, daggers, and armors all over the museum. We did many other things too. What was fun was to see New York City through the eyes of the twenty three year old man that he is. It was great to get to know him more and also to experience New York City anew.

Even though it may be uncomfortable sometimes it is a very good practice to see the world through different eyes. In doing so we can discover so many things about the world around us and also about ourselves. A few months ago I saw pictures of myself when I was in my twenties. I remember clearly how at the time they were taken I thought they were not good. Now that I see them I actually like them. There is also the time that one of my teachers told me very emphatically that I had a good yoga practice. I never thought my practice was good but a constant work in progress, a perpetual unfinished work.

I am remembering something that one of my teachers used to say many many times:

"Change the prescription of your glasses"

Wouldn't it be wonderful to see ourselves through kinder eyes? I always thought that if I took this kinder view of myself it would mean that I was lazy and that I did not care for my practice. As I continue to realize and learn over and over again we can see ourselves through kinder eyes and still continue to put forth our best effort.

I want to invite to see yourself through much kinder eyes when you are practicing in class. If you can't find it in you to do this remember that very likely there is someone in class at that very moment that thinks your practice is great just as it is.

Look forward to seeing you in class

Blessings

Jorge Nihāl