I dressed for yoga today. It’s Saturday. I usually go yoga on Saturday mornings. I pulled out my purple yoga mat and put it by the door. I had a light breakfast. I left in time to make it to a new yoga class. I set out a little early, giving myself the rare luxury of not rushing. I set the coordinates of my internal “GPS auto-pilot” before shifting my focus to the music on the radio and the beautiful day outside.
When I got here, I even had time to make a quick call to a friend. I was feeling good already. I was feeling god already…
9 o’clock came and went. no one showed up–either to take or to teach my yoga class. I checked the posted events on the door. I called the teacher to see if I had missed some communication. I left a message.
And there I was–dressed for yoga, purple mat in hand, in a beautiful sanctuary garden,
ready for a yoga class that clearly wasn’t. I thought of the places I could go instead– an errand I could do, down south, here.
And then I just quite naturally started doing what I came for–yoga. I laid out my mat on the outside deck, faced the great oak tree– and began.
The soft, low “dongs” from the giant wind chime accompanied me on my otherwise silent practice. The huge quiet opened up an amazing space for me to listen to my own rhythms–of breathing, of movement, of sensation. I – also became aware of the music of the leaves and wind and world around.
The dappled light filtering through the oaks illuminated the earth, while shading me from the full heat of the summer sun. The buttery soft breezes kept me perfectly cool and mosquito free. I marveled at the loveliness of being outside, when everyone else has complaining about the heat for months.
Could they possibly know about this place? this cool, gently cradled place between the breeze and the green green canopy where yoga happened without a class–just because I decided it would?
I suppose they can’t now, can they?–or else everyone else would be here too! (which would be an interesting gathering in and of itself)
So I think the power of my intention created this special, sacred moment here today. I decided how it would be and I discovered that all I really needed was that–to decide. no one was here to lead me,
no one was here to put the music on,
no one was here to tell me what was next,
no one was here to tell me I was done.
And yet I knew exactly what to do, where to start, how long to go and what was next. And when I was done, I knew I was done.
To think I ever doubted those things! It’s amazing! There was yoga today–an amazingly deep and lovely yoga today–simply because I decided there would be. How powerful is that? How powerful am I?
This same phenomenon occurs in your writing and creative practices too. At first you’ll no doubt need an outside structure to frame and hold the intention for you–a running buddy, a writing class, a writing accountability group, a coach’s homework. That is fine and good–no matter what your inner critic claims! He can blather on alone about how he’s so strong as to never need some help.
And then one day, they cancel on you in that empty coffeeshop or classroom. And you’ll simply find yourself writing or dancing or doing yoga between earth and sky –and realize you can do it on your own!
What have you created, by the power of your intention? Please share by commenting below!