I’m just coming off of three weeks that included two beautiful family weddings. What a thrill. Everyone was on a high. Gratitude everywhere. Love was in the air. Each young person has found their “soulmate” and things are just as they should be. Perfect.
And that’s exactly how it should be on your wedding day. And that’s how it should be the first year of your marriage. And maybe, just maybe, it should always be that way? But then real life sets in. That’s not to say that things are bad afterwards, they just become real. Every day cannot be perfect. It’s our job however, to find moments of beauty in every day.
These two intensely joyful, emotional occasions have brought me to think about Yoga (of course). Yoga means union. Yoga is an ongoing practice. Yoga is a never ending relationship, where there is growth, and change, and no two days are the same. Yoga is about gratitude. Yoga is about being OK with things, even when they’re not perfect. Yoga is about being kind to yourself, and then to others around you. Yoga is about communication. It’s about listening to the other person and serving them in a way that makes their life better. It’s also about listening to yourself, understanding your needs, and not sacrificing your own well being, to follow what someone else is asking of you. It’s about listening to the subtle things that your body, your brain, and your gut whisper to you. Yoga is about patience. Yoga is about setting intentions and then following through with actions.
Need I go on? Anyone that has been in a long term relationship will recognize that that union changes every day.
Just like in yoga. Every practice, every day is different. One day its more active and “exciting”. Other days, its a passive, quiet, sweet savasana. One is not better than the other. Both practices serve us in different ways, different days. As in any relationship, its important to be your authentic self, remove the masks, the expectations, the judgements. Just be.
Yes, I’ve made a marriage between weddings and yoga. I see the same vows in both.
Give love. Be kind. Accept love. Serve others. Forgive. Have faith. Be committed. Listen. Grow. Learn. Bring light to others. Create peace. Practice gratitude every day.
♥