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Welcoming Change: A Lesson from Nature |
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Written by Leena Patel
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Here in Las Vegas the weather is beginning to warm up. We are
seeing signs of Spring and I am welcoming the change.
In a recent conversation, a dear friend of mine said to me 'the
roots of a tree do not question why the leaves above it fall.
they just do. and such is the way.'
Change is a part of life. This viewpoint (called parinamavada)
is a fundamental teaching of yoga. It is the nature of the tree
to know that old leaves must fall in order for new leaves to
blossom and so it does not question. It is we that want things
to be or stay a certain way, and when they do not, we resist. We
cling to those leaves even as they wither and die, instead of
letting them go.
Our life is a vinyasa from birth to death, and within our life
we experience mini-vinyasas. We can view that which we let go as
something we have lost. I prefer to see it as a loving reminder
of that which we have been given. It awakens me to the
realization to cherish the beautiful moments in my life as they
occur.
We are in constant relationship to everyone and everything.
Deeply connected, as if there is an invisible web that binds us.
In yoga we often use the term Vinyasa to mean a continuous flow
through various asanas that ride with the flow of the breath.
But vinyasa is not just any sequence. It is progressive and has
within it an inherent intelligence and harmony whereby each
unfolding gives something to the next.
The next time you get on your mat to practice, I invite you to
assess where you are before you begin. Ask yourself what your
energy is like. Are there any parts or your being that need
special attention? Are you focused, restless, vulnerable, calm,
centered? Listen inwards to where you are at and then modify your
practice accordingly.
Then take that same skill and apply it your life. Attend to
where you are in the wave of your personal rhythm. For example,
observe when in the day you have more energy and clarity and
allocate your most demanding tasks to that time of day if
possible. If you are moving slowly, perhaps due to a change in
the weather, or because you are in the midst of a low energy
cycle, honor that. It is resting in the Awareness which enables
the transformation to occur. Try resisting that cup of coffee to
rev up your engine and just enjoy moving at a different pace. Be
in it without dwelling in it. Allow the leaves of your tree to
fall. For soon, spring will come and new ones will grow.
About the Author:
Leena Patel is based in Las Vegas where she teaches vinyasa
yoga, meditation, yoga philosophy as well as Thai Yoga Massage.
She has written numerous articles on health, yoga and
spirituality and has taught across the US, Canada and in France,
Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria and the UK. She can be reached at
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or via her website Leena Patel
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