Have you ever thought about how life is like Downward Facing Dog Pose? I have, so I thought I'd share my rambling ideas on the subject. Please share in the comments your agreements and other thoughts.
Sometimes in life we feel stiff and stuck, that maybe we won't be able to do all that needs done that day, that's like the first down dog of the day. You come into the pose and it's like "hello shoulders, hello hamstrings." You take a deep breath and let it out slowly, you got this. You can put the chili ingredients in the crock pot, a load of laundry in the washer, go to the bank, work, and be ready to volunteer all afternoon at the school.
Sometimes in life we'd rather stay in child's pose, all snuggled down and softly resting. Curled up on the couch with a good book or a great movie we could wile away the afternoon. But soon we must rise up and find our strength to clean the room or do the dishes, maybe mow the lawn, or answer some emails. We stretch our arms forward, we spread the fingers wide, the toes tuck under in anticipation and we breathe, the body rising, with hands and feet rooting gently into the earth, the arms and legs pressing equally up and downward facing dog takes shape.
Sometimes in yoga downward dog is hard. Maybe it's the beginning of a journey for us, finding strength where maybe there was none before. Testing new muscles, learning new things. A new job, a new friend, a new stage in life for our child, ourselves, our parent. Maybe we might fall or we might do it "wrong." But you know what, we do it.
Sometimes in yoga downward dog is joy. It's steady strength, the comfort of the familiar routine, of getting things done in the best way we can that day. It's feeling equal, balanced, even if just for a moment. It's feeling inside all the love we can for ourselves and all the others in the world around us. It's the knowing of a job well done. It's the finding a place of ease within a place of work and feeling that joy.
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