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This contemplation came from my friend, Krystyn, in Colorado. I’m happy to share her story with all of you (with her permission, of course!)
I set out yesterday morning for my usual morning walk with more excitement than usual. I’ve been asking for an animal totem for guidance and today I really felt I was going to have an incredible encounter. And boy did I have a royal flush of an experience. My morning walk consists of a 2 mile walk to the mindful bump, technically it’s a dip where the overflow from Lake Bauer flows to a creek and then joins with the Mancos River
My first encounter was standing in the middle of the road as if to block my passage, a very bold statement for this notoriously shy creature. He was in the middle of the dip and starring directly at me. As almost immediate as I see him standing there I am whisked to my thoughts of Wilmington and feelings of love for the friends that reside there. There are over 43 different species of Heron, ranging in colors from white, to green, and the illustrious Great Blue. An incredibly solitary creature the Heron only gathers with others at night and during breeding season. An excellent huntsman the Heron spends most of its waking time stalking the shallows for small aquatic life. The Heron reminds us to be still patient and wade slowly in the shallows never getting too deep. I can’t help but identify with his solitary nature. Our moment is interrupted by one of the many four legged friends accompanying me on my walk. As I watch him fly away his neck bent to an S shape keeping his throat close to his heart I am reminded to speak my truth through the filter of my own heart.
The heron surprisingly joined another perched in a nearby budding Cottonwood. I pause briefly recognizing the pair but my attention is immediately drawn to a neighboring tree where the pair of Bald Eagles sit. Again I am reminded of patience as I watch these two joined in the art of raising young wait motionless. Eagle medicine represents the power of Great Spirit and connection to the Divine. It reminds us to soar above and look beyond what we see possible. I’ve been watching this pair for a few weeks now. I saw one earlier this week that had caught a fish too big to carry and was struggling to get back to her nest and feed the babies. Recognizing her triumph I thought maybe too much abundance is too much. Beaming with gratitude for these four birds sitting above the land perched, ready, waiting, I exhale and turn to see an otter swimming past.
Divine in nature the incredibly feminine Otter reminds us to be joyful, open, and trusting. She is known to play with her young and is associated with abundance and magic. The message I take from her today is to be conscious of deficit thinking. Sometimes it shows up as jealousy, coveting, or wanting to hold on too tight. If we are to truly love its unconditional love without object. Divine love means tapping into the deep core of universal love that surrounds us all. I watch her swim diving to the bottom time countless times each time retrieving some crunchy bottom dweller. She moves gracefully knowing there’s enough for us all. She dips out of sight and I continue on my walk.
I’ve been spinning with contemplation since this mystical morning. I went back to my secret spot today to contemplate these messages. I definitely get patience, magical, and connection. I affirm my intentions and recognize that I need to be fully here and focus on what I am creating. All is possible!
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Krystyn, thank you for your story and reminders to ask for support from many sources! As always, you are an amazing inspiration to me! Keep on manifesting all of your dreams. Love, Ash
I have some friends right now going through some tough shit. This is the Rumi poem (translation by Coleman Barks) that I come back to time and time again, each time I read the words, I get a different hit of meaning. Enjoy!
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. ___________________________________Our teachers come in so many forms. Some of my biggest lessons in life came to me through (perceived) tradgedy, when life was seemingly “shaken, not stirred”. So, now, I am learning how to honor the teachings and teachers who show up in moments of pain, grief and sadness. There is always light at the other side. Mary Oliver lovers will appreciate this one…http://mindfulness.ucsd.edu/poetry.htm#journey.
These poems are dedicated to all of my friends and loved ones moving forward through hard times.
With deep love and admiration for all that you are and what you each teach me,
Ash
A few years ago, I literally fell into the practice of Anusara Yoga. My good friend, Diane, convinced me to attend a yoga conference in NYC. The bigger yoga conventions are really not my thing…for the same reason all-you-can-eat buffets are not my thing: too much of everything. I was not too sure that I could even physically handle the conference. I had just been through a challenging year, which left me physically and emotionally brusied and raw. My business partner and I had just gone our separate ways, which triggered a deep depression, where I developed insomnia and excrutiating physical pain. I was just on the mend physically, and climbing back up the hill emotionally. But, I love New York, and Diane is always a good travel buddy, so I figured a trip to practice yoga for 4 days straight in New York could be a good idea. At that point, I had no idea what I was getting ready to dive into!
The keynote speaker of that event was John Friend. I had heard about Anusara at that time, but never had the opportunity to experience the practice for myself. That night, Diane and I sat on the floor close to the stage, and this 40-something year old guy, who did not look like a yogi, walked out, took off his shoes and sat cross-legged in the chair. As he began telling his story of his mother’s death, I clung to every word. The message was not about death, but rather about life within death. He spoke of the joy within the pain of her passing, and of the full spectrum of experience, emotions and sensation that we are able to have as embodied spirits. As John spoke, I began to understand a little more about the past year of my struggle.
All it took was that brief opening night talk, and I was hooked. I went to the registration desk and changed all of my classes to immerse myself into the practice of Anusara Yoga. I had not experienced one asana practice…but I didn’t need to, it was the heart of the practice that drew me in.
This new yoga had a language all of its own, including a chant in the beginning of each practice. I felt like I just stumbled into a level 4 French class, without taking the correct pre-requisites (which did, in fact, happen to me in high school). I happily sat in the corner, and humbly received as a hundred or so practitioners chanted around me. Although I did not know what the words were, or what they meant, I knew that I was in the right place as I felt chills explode up and down my spine. I wrote fervently in my journal, listing words and phrases such as auspicious, spanda, kula, tejase… I wanted to know…not just know the meaning of the words, I wanted to experience the embodiment of the deeper meaning. I was ready to dive deep.
The word Anusara comes from the ancient Vedas: Shakti Napata Anusaranum…”By stepping into the current of grace, the seeker becomes empowered to hold that which is most valuable.” I was so empowered by what that meant, I came home and painted the phrase on my wall so that I could wake up each morning and remind myself that I was swimming in the current of grace daily.
As I began to practice differently that weekend in New York, I healed physically, emotionally and spiritually. My back no longer hurt, my spirit began to shine again, and I started forgiving myself for my role in the demise of my business partnership. By the end of that weekend, I found my teacher, Todd Norian. I decided to enroll in his teacher training that was beginning about 6 months from that time.
At the end of a very full weekend, (a hip opener workshop with John…you know about hip openers, they open the 2nd chakra…source of intimate relationships), I met one of dearest friends, Pierce Brown (now Lila P. Brown), who became a teaching partner, teacher, spiritual sister and sometimes counselor, and fellow yoga-studio owner. In that one weekend, as I released my sorrow and grief of the loss of Amy (my previous partner), I gained a new friend, mentor and teacher.
Six months later, the night before I left for the first module of my Anusara training, Betsey Downing (who John Friend refers to as the Grande Dame of Anusara Yoga) was teaching a workshop at Seaside Yoga. On a referral from one of our Seaside instructors who knows Betsey personally, I scheduled her about 9 months prior to her workshop, well before I even knew what Anusara yoga was. I found it very auspicious that the weekend that I taking my next jump into the deeper current, Betsey was supporting my community of students and teachers, and sharing with them the practice of Anusara…just a little wink from divine.
With gratitude, I thank my early Anusara teachers: John Friend, Todd Norian and Ann Greene, Lila Pierce Brown, and Betsey Downing.
