Love what you are now and what you will become
There are times when I wish I recorded my trips to Shine so I could hear again what the teacher shared during class. Shine’s yoga teachers expertly guide their students through a beautifully choreographed series of yoga poses, as well as share their insights and reflections. Their short reflections have helped me have a happier, more positive outlook on life each day.
It reminds me of returning from a day in the gardens. Sometimes I can’t tell you exactly what I saw or the exact scents I inhaled deeply but I can describe the feeling, the physical and emotional reaction I experienced in the garden- freedom, peace, outbursts of creativity, beauty and awe.
I wish I could share the exact words Felicia spoke in class this morning. The lesson I took away with me goes something like this: Don’t judge yourself, don’t criticize yourself, don’t belittle yourself by saying- when I lose 10 pounds, perfect that pose, have a better home or a more fertile garden I will be better. When we say I will be better when … we are actually saying, right now I am not good enough, I am flawed I am not as I should be. And that my friend is simply too much negativity to haul around all day long.
But I want to master a pose. I want to lose 10 pounds. I want a Better Homes & Gardens worthy garden… And so do I! But if we spend our energy, our thoughts, thinking of what we don’t have yet, we will never love what we have now. We will always want better and more- placing ourselves in a perpetual state of disappointment and frustration.
It’s a lot like gardening. A perennial garden really shines its third year. Why? Because year one we build a solid foundation of new plants, rich soil and lots of tender care. Year two we let it grow and blossom and year three it is stable, established and strong. We could never get to that fabulous third-year garden without the love and care we gave it its first year. This is why gardeners have so much fun researching plants, devouring catalogs and planning new gardens; we love that what we are doing now, the first year for a new garden will result in something wonderful later.
We love the now and what is to come.
Cheers! Jenny