Edges, Plateaus, and Yoga

"There's a crack in everything...that's how the Light gets in..." ~Leonard Cohen

Take the time to listen to this song, Anthem, by Leonard Cohen. Really listen to the words. This song was released twenty years ago. One would think it was written today. Leonard's rich voice resonates with the truth of how mankind is and has always been. There has been cracks in everything we've built...and I'm not talking about architecture. Empires have risen and fallen. The quest for staking claim on land continues and now involves the ocean. Next, real estate on the moon will be for sale. I wish I could say that was a joke...but, it could happen one day based on mankind's history of quests for more.

Will we change? Time will tell. If there weren't any "bad" guys, would there be opportunities for goodness to emerge? If we didn't have the greedy, would we truly understand giving? If we didn't have the corrupt, would we cherish honesty as much? If we didn't feel the anger of injustice, would courageous individuals still cry out loud for those too afraid?  Perhaps it serves an ultimate purpose for one to see the Light get in through the cracks. The good news is that no matter how hard one may try, they can't take any of their acquisitions with them. Therein lies the crack in their perceived unconquerable castle.

The longer you live, the longer you practice anything, the more you understand...you know so little. We may learn and read an endless list of subjects. There is no end to what one can learn about anything. The question is: what do you do with what you learn? We make changes to integrate what we've learned as beneficial. But, the truth really is: "the more things change, the more they stay the same." So, the fact is you have to live your life as if your life depended on it...for it does.

 Yoga on the physical level is practiced to reach new edges. The more often you practice, the quicker you surpass the last edge. It is easy for a repetition of moves to enter the subconscious and you can inadvertently stop the conscious effort. If that is the case, you have reached a plateau. You do not want to allow yourself to stay there. Plateaus diminish awareness. Less awareness leads to more routine. Routine leads to monotony. Monotony leads to apathy. Apathy is the true enemy of the collective consciousness.

Fear is better than apathy. At least with fear, there is an energy generated. With apathy, there is no energy of life to move forward. In yoga, to pursue headstand is a big deal. It takes courage. It is scary to think about falling over, or even being upside down. But, with the help of a partner and wall, you get less scared and more confident. It does not matter how long it takes to do it...the act of pursuing it is what really matters. (This applies to any pose) With more confidence, you build an inner strength within the mind. A strong mind is resilient to apathy for it enjoys new edges...not being stuck on a plateau.

It sometimes takes help from others to get off our plateau. We need each other to get or give a push to a new edge of awareness. It takes remarkable, inspirational people like Leonard Cohen, Einstein, Helen Keller, Nikola Tesla, DaVinci, Hippocrates... the people who love you and even the "bad" guys...to help push you to see a little bit further. Most importantly, life demands you to stay in the game.

"Don't dwell on what has passed away or what is yet to be." You have today...that's it. Make the most of it. Do what you love. Pursue what you feel passionate about. Show kindness to strangers. Hug a friend. Write a love letter. Set the "do list" aside and actually do something that requires the heart.

The media feeds the fear which ignites an illusion of no one caring..which leads to apathy. As individuals, we're often guilty of dwelling on the negative vs. the positive in our lives. We must take responsibility to get off our plateaus. We must make a conscious effort to not assume everything we hear or see is true. We must not let the convenience of technology make us too lazy or too impatient to know all of the truth. We're too smart to not realize a lot that we read or see on the  news is but a sliver of truth. There is news behind the news...and what is revealed serves an ulterior purpose.

Truth has many layers to it. It is rarely, if ever, simple. There are reasons why things happen. Believe it or not, it can be boiled down to the influence of one person...good and bad. Or, it can be a compilation of events that lead to that crescendo. Bottom line, how we choose to respond has the power to make a bigger difference.

 Think about it, the "bad" guys must covet apathy, for it gives them less resistance; not, more strength...less resistance. 

Build your strength by being true to the nature of being human. Love, feel, bond, and grow. We did not come here to just to make money to pay bills, be engrossed with technology, get as much stuff as possible to pass on and die. Determine your edge and see how you can step a bit further. You will know it when it happens. You do not have to become someone famous to make a difference. We all do in our own way.

We all have strength that surpasses resistance. It is just a matter of finding the crack that helps the Light break down the wall so more can see further.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I loved this! Touching article, I really enjoyed it :) Good writing Mom! It's funny to read your writing because we think the same, and that's cool :)

-Rachel

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