i always wondered what it was like to be one of those people that is just going all the time, with endless errands to do. i have never been that person, maybe out of laziness, or maybe out of ignorance.

but lately, i have been one of those. papers to sign everyday, things to mail, people to call, appointments to set and attend to. and then there’s chloe

in some ways, i feel overwhelmed and ready to be done with it. but in others, i feel very productive and useful. i guess like anything else in life, you have to find that delicate balance.

tonight as i taught, i had a new thought. even after all the times i’ve watched people come down to their knees into child’s pose, i’ve never really seen the beauty of what people are doing.
as the candles flickered on the sweaty skin of these 30 people, people that i don’t really even know, i saw the humility coming through each one of them. i thought about what an honor it was to be in that room, walking between the outstretched arms of all these people in a position of complete vulnerability. obviously, they may not all believe what i do, or even see the depth of what they are teaching me, but that is the joy of being a yoga instructor…we all teach each other.

in fact, at the end of class, the instructor recites the word “namaste” to the class, and they reciprocate. the word can actually be split up into 2 sanskrit terms, “nama”, meaning to bow or bend, and “te”, meaning you. in short, it’s a term of humility, a prostrate stance, recognizing that there is beauty, love and a piece of God in each of us. some could even say that it is recognizing the teacher, evidence of the divine, in each person.

to some this may seem like a lot of nonsense, but it goes along with my recent feelings about humility. at a time like right now, when it seems like everything is going so well for us, it is so easy to get overwhelmed and prideful…maybe even a bit egotistical. instead, i have been trying to stay grounded, asking for humility with every prayer. and i feel the same way each time i bow forward saying “namaste”…grounded, humbled and honored to be in the presence of others who feel the same.

each day is a gift.