All too often, we focus on being strong, remaining stalwart. This unyielding shell may not reveal the pain inside, yet still it lingers. Give yourself permission to feel. Let the armor fall and allow the tears to fall with it. True strength comes when you embrace the pain prior to its release. Give yourself permission to cry when you need to and you’ll find that the smiles come much easier.
5 Benefits Of Bawling Your Eyes Out.
The 10 foot long paddleboards lay side by side in the sun along the sandy shore like fiberglass coated seals. Soft waves chased each other across the lake, encouraged by the welcome morning breeze. It was early enough that the herons still outnumbered the speedboats and the sun was just erasing away any hint of the nighttime chill.
I slipped my hand into the groove cut into the center of the board and hoisted it off the sand and into in the water. I carefully placed my knees on either side of the handle, the cutaway serving as a constant visual reminder of center. Stray too far and you fall in. After finding my balance, I carefully placed one foot and then the other on the board, staying in a cautious crouch until I trusted the board. Until I trusted myself.
I pushed up to standing, taking the paddle with me. After a few rough rows, as I learned how to twist and shift to keep the board steady; I was off. The board traveled lightly upon the water, the hollow thud of the waves hitting the underside of the board. Our small group made our way up a protected inlet where the current was not so strong and the boats not as numerous.
We gathered in a group, our boards constantly shifting on the water as our minds shifted into practice. We were constantly reminded that these were not well-behaved yoga mats, sitting at right angles to a wall, rather they were dynamic surfaces carried by the whims of the winds and the currents. Common poses became uncommon when faced with the limitations and challenges of the board and the water. We each were ever mindful of our center. The water became our teacher, each little misalignment gently acknowledged with a tip of the board. Or, if the subtle hint went unrecognized, a fall into the depths.
There is no illusion of control on the water. You have only two choices: give in or give up. I gave in, sinking deeper into the board.
Pressing into down dog, the board began to rock with waves sent from a passing boat. Be with it. You can’t fight the waves. “Accept them and move with them,” was the lesson spoken by the water. I listened, giving in to the sway.
I turned over, pressing into wheel, gaining a new perspective on the ripening morning. I felt the strength in my limbs anchored equally to the board as it danced lightly on the surface, creating a balance of contrast. Feeling emboldened by the sun and lightened by the sense of playfulness, I moved into tripod, a pose which eludes me on the mat. Every muscle and every thought focused solely on the moment.
After lying in repose for several minutes, I pushed myslef back up to a seated position, so comfortable in my balance that I moved with ease. Bringing hands to heart center,
Namaste.
As I walked back up the beach, I could feel the lessons of the morning practice settle in and I chose to carry them with me.
Update: The following day, I was able to do my first full headstand ever! I love the fact that I learned the basics of the pose on the water:)
The group I practiced with:
Atlanta SUP Yoga
Worldwide organization dedicated to SUP yoga:
The beauty of a summer garden is found in its abundance. The welcoming sunshine and needed rain uniting to provide the ideal conditions for growth. Beds become a beautiful, riotous mess even under the watchful eyes of trained gardeners and hundreds of volunteers.
They refuse to follow the rules and color within the lines; instead their reach extends into walkways, obscuring the path.
The eye dances along the woven green tapestries formed by the intertwining stems. Their bold blooms fight for attention and resist being reigned in. These are not flowers to be controlled, to be clipped and tucked into proper arrangements. Rather, these are blossoms of pure, unbridled exuberance.
There are seasons in our lives that are like a summer garden. Times when our moments are filled with new ideas, new experiences, and new relationships. Celebrate the abundance in those seasons. Revel in the new growth. Don’t be concerned when your path is obscured. It will be revealed in time. Don’t worry that the garden bed of your life is becoming too full. There is time enough for pruning later. Do not fret if your mind’s eye has trouble settling on a single bloom. Rather, let it explore the interconnectedness of your sprouting life.
Stand tall among your summer blooms and enjoy the beauty of its abundance.
Dogs have a way of reminding us to embrace the moment. Thank you, Tiger, for the lesson:)
There has been quite a bit of discourse over the last few years about the relative happiness and health of people with different relationship statuses. Much of the popular literature has given the impression that married people are happier; therefore, become married to improve your well-being. The problem with this position is that they are confusing correlation with causation. Doesn’t it make more sense that happy people are more likely to get and stay married than a ring possessing magical powers?
Does Marriage Make Us Happy? Should It? | Psychology Today.
Whenever we rely on external sources for our fulfillment, well-being, and happiness, we will ultimately be disappointed. We have to find those things within ourselves before we can find a partner that can see them too and before we can see them in another. In order to be the best partner possible, we first must address ourselves:
How can you trust others, if you do not have trust in yourself?
How can you care for others, if you cannot care for yourself?
How can you have faith in others, if you do not have faith in yourself?
How can you be loyal to another, if you cannot be loyal to yourself?
How can you be responsible for another, if you cannot be responsible for yourself?
How can you be with another, if you cannot be with yourself?
How can you love another, if you cannot love yourself?
So, throw away the dictionary, and look to yourself before you look to marriage to make you happy and well.
Lessons From the End of a Marriage 