dolores river canyon daytoday i went to my happy place; a beautiful dusty canyon near my home which i've yet to see any other person in. it's the kind of place that makes you feel humble, and small, but thankful to be part of such a world. a world where winds now blow through a red rock desert that used to be the bottom of a prehistoric ocean. we found fragments of bones, hundreds of millions of years old; bits of teeth and proof of aquatic life here, in the driest of places. we hiked through stone and sand and sage, following the river and the same trail that carried cowboys and outlaws and ranchers and indians. indians who left record of their comings and goings on stones along the trail, mysterious markings whose meanings are clear and murky at the same time. and now us. adding to the layers of time in this place that keeps records. adding to the wonder, the quiet conversation, adding to the echos, and remnants, and proof of existence that this valley holds in silence. forever.
i'm posting more photos today, click below:
injury has humbled me, forced me to slow my practice, turned me inwards; curling, protecting myself. i have the feeling of taking steps backward, of being weakened and having to rebuild. i have feelings of impatience as my body struggles with poses and positions once natural and easy.
but i feel lucky also, as though the pain is bringing a new level of experience for me. the caution with which i move, the awareness i experience through every movement brings a depth i didn't attain before. with every bit of myself i am aware of my body. "does this hurt? is this ok? does this feel right?" i ask in every moment.
i notice how often i have the urge to go further, push further into a posture before taking a moment to notice where i am.
i am going to retrain my body. i am going to relearn my placement, alignment, regain my strength, and i am going to do it with complete awareness and patience.
"if we confront affliction through yoga, we awaken a new awareness of tolerance and endurance, as well as a true sympathy for others in their afflictions. these qualities indicate the degree of development we have reached. so why not take adversity positively? certainly it is an alarm signal, but also contains the seed for its own resolution and transcendence."
-b.k.s. iyengar
