PranaBeing blog: I See You

When we meet for practice,

I look into your eyes.

I see

how you are burdened by sadness that slumps heavy

where you pushed it into an ashen pile

in the shadowy corner just beyond the border

of your waking awareness.

Your beautiful eyes, clouded

by thoughts that swirl with internal struggles

and worries fed by all the disharmony and suffering you see

outside.

Fine lines of tension around the eyes hint

at the hours you spent

solving problems, serving others, trying to help, doing your best,

thinking and doing

at the expense of your Being; (we all do this)

at the battle that rages on inside,

taking so much energy.

Because some part of you knows (some part of us knows)

that thinking and doing

at the expense of Being

takes its toll

and weighs on the spirit. Until we forget how to fly.

People don’t notice

if they don’t know how to see.

But I have learned; I see you.

I know who you are.

I see your caring way, your gentle, loving self.

I know your heart’s desire to laugh and play, to let go. To just be.

I know this about you because—and as—

I have discovered it about me.

So we enter the practice,

which is an opportunity

to attend imperfectly

to this moment’s experience.

Just a few

minutes of simple movement and breath.

Within a short while, attending

to the One dwelling inside,

I see the flash of life

lighting up and wakening within your eyes.

As we emerge from our closing OM,

Your eyes open wider, softened.

The Light that is you shining clearer through,

and the silent joy from deep within

begins to well and flow from your Being

into this world where we walk together,

where we are not separate and where we are

fundamentally alone and all-one.

When I look into your eyes

I see that this change happens so readily,

as if the entire Being had been waiting for you simply to take some time to turn inside,

to pause the struggle and practice harmony.

When I look into these eyes,

and see the joy of life sparkling,

I am filled with gratitude and inspiration.

Thank you for coming to practice today.

Thank you for Being you.

You truly are my Self.

Namaste.

P.S. Let’s practice together. I’m offering two classes per week at The YogaTonic (live in-person and streaming) now through February.

PranaBeing Blog: Information vs. Awareness

Information does not equal awareness.

Having read or heard or seen something, knowing how to do something, or even going through the motions of what we know how to do does not guarantee awareness. Even experience itself does not guarantee awareness, though all of these things (reading, listening, learning, experiencing, and doing) have the potential to awaken awareness within us.

Awareness has to do with conscious engagement. The more aware we are, the more present we are to what is happening now.

Awareness requires sentience. As we become more aware, we become increasingly conscious of the myriad stirrings aroused within our being in response to this moment.

It is only through awareness that skillful action becomes available. Skillful action is an expression of integration.

yogah karmasu kausalam - Bhagavad Gita 2.50

Yoga is skill-in-action

Without awareness, we are like a blindfolded person equipped with every type of headlamp and spotlight known to man, thrashing about in darkness.

We have gotten very good at generating, gathering, and exchanging information. Let’s get better at becoming more aware.

Are you using the tools, knowledge and practices (i.e. what you do regularly) in your life to help you become more aware? How does life change when you do?