After leading a women’s retreat the weekend before last (sublime! :)), I returned home to a visit from my adorable and very active little grand baby which was immediately followed by a trip to Tulsa for more wonderful family time. It was all absolutely lovely - but also a whirlwind of activity. Today is the first day I have had back home, just me in my orderly, quiet little house. As much as I loved all of the above and all of the community, company, cuddles and fun, I must say it also feels good just to be here, home, once again finding my center, ‘finding my ground’.
At the retreat I led, one woman chose to skip our Sunday morning yoga practice so that she could spend time alone walking in the woods. During our sharing time later that morning, she described how different it felt to be ‘alone’ in the woods knowing there was community nearby - a circle of women nearby who were waiting for her and with whom she would share the awakening and stirring experiences she was having out in the woods.
I feel the same today after spending this beautiful week bonding with my daughter and grandson. It is good to be alone here - finding my ground, re-centering - but also knowing they are there, just a phone call away, waiting to share the news of the day.
Knowing our center, knowing where we stand - both figuratively and literally - is so very important. And to do so, we need both community as well as solitude. Attending yoga classes provides us the opportunity for both. As we come together to practice, community is formed - and yet as we practice we are each ‘alone’ on our mats, each of us in our own unique body, each of us having our own individual experience as we find our ground and discover more of who we are.
When we practice, as we focus on grounding, really feeling our feet beneath us, this can allow us to be more certain of who we are and where we stand as we venture out into the world.
Wishing you a beautiful day of standing firmly in who you are,
Cindy
Photo by Jane Bodle (Munnar, India)
Finding Your Ground