yoga lessons

The Fire

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It doesn’t interest me who you know

or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand 

in the center of the fire

with me

and not shrink back.

The FIRE.

Not only is this fire the experiences that we have endured in our lives, but I believe this fire is also the burning passion within each of us that ignites our purpose.  And are you willing to listen and not shrink back?

In other words this fire is the times in our lives when we feel that scorch of heat and the painful burn of life’s tragedy, or the gnawing hunger inside that ignites something that leads to transformation.

In my personal life, I have stood in the center of many fires; from the broken marriages to the deep loss associated to having a child with a disability, to the facing of my own fears, and ultimately realizing my deepest value and then finding my life’s purpose.

I am so grateful that my life has included so many roaring blazes because it is through those times that I have truly transformed.  I also allowed the fire of burning desire that is within me and I did not allow myself to shrink back.  Over the years I have admired the scars from the licking of life’s flames and have with grace been able move on and keep going.

This week on the mat (or in the chair) we will be diving deep into the fire inside and tapping into our third chakra, the solar plexus.  It is there that we find our personal power and access to choice.  We find the fire in our spirit and use it to empower and transform ourselves to stand in the center of our own fires not shrink back.

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The Betrayal

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It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. 

I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself;

if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul;

if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. 

As I continue to read, study and share the beautiful poem The Invitation I dive into a deeper understanding of myself.  This exploration is a way that I continue to peel away the layers and in hope, help others to do the same.

This portion of the poem has always been a bit tricky for me.  The concept of betrayal is ambiguous and yet so powerful when it is looked at squarely in the eye.  I suppose in truth, we have all betrayed someone at some point in our human-ness.  We have also betrayed ourselves.

At this early stage of the new year, many of us our filled with intentions, resolution, goals and plans for a successful year.  Unfortunately, studies prove that most people with lose their focus and within a short time be finished and fall back into their old habits.  Is this a form of betrayal?

What about the ways we so often begin to speak to ourselves in the dark and uncertain moments? The self-talk that diminishes our very light.  Is that betrayal?

So much betrayal; self-sabotaging behaviors, unwillingness to takes risks, staying in relationships way too long, the fulfilling j.o.b., even that late night too much ice cream thing we do.  Isn’t that all betrayal?

I think what this is here to teach us is that betrayal comes in many faces and it is truly up to us to go after what we want.  It is up to us to speak our truth, regardless if it disappoints another.  It is our divine responsibility to listen to the calling of our soul.

Sometimes this feels like our insides are about to be ripped out.  It is often in this intensity we are faced with disappointing another to be true to ourselves.

The work of the soul can be so painful, and yet it is in this knowing that we cannot betray our own light.  We begin to see that in speaking our truth, we ultimately betray no one.

On the mat this week, we will look at betrayal and our choices to have limiting beliefs, negative self-talk and how must learn to speak our truth–first with ourselves, and then with others.

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