One of my fondest memories growing up involves springtime and our crab apple tree.  This tree had really unique, twisting branches.  In the spring this tree was COVERED in pink blossoms and it created a magical canopy that we (my brother, myself, and all the kids in the neighborhood) would climb up into.  It was a fantastic hiding place for hide-and-go-seek!  You would be buried in the blossoms and no one could see you!!  Being embraced by thousands of these blossoms made us feel so safe....so content....the silence within them was deafening. The aroma these tiny flowers gave was intoxicating and being enveloped within their hold created such sense of a deep, inner peace and quiet. We never wanted to climb down.  We just wanted to sit....and BE.

As we all 'patiently' wait for spring this year, this memory got me thinking.  How often do we retreat to a place that gives us that intoxicating feeling of peace and rest? It can be extravagant like an island vacation, but what I am talking about is more of a place that is available to us at any time.  How often do we seek solitude?  Many of us talk about it, but how many of us ACTUALLY SEEK it out?

The clutter of our daily lives and technology seems to keep us from ourselves as well as from others--whether that be our families or our friends.  Perhaps this spring our 'spring cleaning' should include a look at our schedules....de-clutter them!  Our minds--find solitude and learn to sit down on the inside!  We see spring cleaning as getting rid of things, making things clean or fresh, and creating space.  We should also do this on the INSIDE!

Creating space is what yoga helps us do each and every time we are on our mats.  We can be having a rock star practice where everything comes with ease or we can have a practice where we are butting heads with each posture, ourselves and our classmates.  The cool thing is that either way, no matter how our practice comes about, we create space; space within our bodies, our minds, and our hearts.  We learn to clear the space within in order to cultivate our very own space where we can just BE.  That means be alone with ourselves and with God.  No one else. Just us....and SIT. No monkey brain jumping around, no to-do list screaming at us that we behind, no schedule that creates chaos.....just the simple art of being.  It is simple yet SO VERY HARD to do.

Once we learn this art form, we will find ourselves in a very different state of being.  Things no longer seem overwhelming and when they get hectic, well, we realize it and gradually cultivate change. We no longer seek crazy schedules.  We let go of things that no longer serve us--relationships, tasks, or things that once ignited us, but are now an energy-sucker. We learn to be patient and do errands when they make sense and we group them according to geographic location.  We let go of the need-it-now mentality and embrace waiting. We learn to see people soul-to-soul and once we capture that we will never be the same; ourselves as well as those we encounter.  Technology screams at us to be busy and get going....let's all stop...breathe....and remember what life was like when cell phones and iPads were not even around. It seems that it was a slow fade to the busy-ness of life.  Let's all take the small steps back toward a calmer, more present state of being.

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”  ~Walt Disney

Even though we keep moving forward, let's make sure we are checking and aware of what paths we are moving down!! Are you with me? The Yoga Sutras teach us about planting seeds....seeds that blossom and come to fruition within each and every moment we are given as well as those we are PLANTING in each and every moment.  What seeds are you planting?  The Bible tells us we reap what we sow.  What are you reaping and what, exactly, are you sowing in each moment?

It's spring so let's get to it!   Clean by de-cluttering inside and out to create space. Plant new seeds so your inner peace and inner space keeps expanding as do your conversations with God! It sure is sweeter when you get to experience the blossoms of inner peace! Who's climbing up into my crab apple tree? 
 
Namaste &Yoga-on
Trish

Henry Nouwen says in The Return of he Prodigal Son, 'We don’t have to go far to find the treasure we are seeking. There is beauty and goodness right where we are. And only when we can see the beauty and goodness that are close by can we recognize beauty and goodness on our travels far and wide. There are trees and flowers to enjoy, paintings and sculptures to admire; most of all there are people who smile, play, and show kindness and gentleness. They are all around us, to be recognized as free gifts to receive in gratitude.'

Spring seems to be a time we often devote to cleaning; mainly our homes and the proverbial SPRING CLEANING. I propose we use this analogy to clean the dirty windows we see ourselves through, we see others through, and we see the world through. When was the last time you examined the rooms of your heart and the lens through which we view the world and those around through?  On our mats we are encouraged to do this--to look deep within and seek transformation into something better......something greater.....something more like God created us to be! It is time to take our mats our into this world.  The weather is changing and encouraging us to break free from the cocoon of winter, to break free of the habitat of our homes and begin to seek the outside!

As a collective community let us strive to become an intentional community; friends on mission together!  Let us see with new eyes each person we encounter as a family member rather than a stranger, acquaintance or some other label we give them. And by this family-mentality let the world see what LOVE actually IS.  Let the world see that we are the change, that each person matters and has a story.  Let us take the time to listen, let our schedules be interrupted, and see people soul to soul rather than just brush by in quick conversation.  Let us INVEST in one another.  Do life together!

Spring challenge: get connected and invest in 2-3 people that you can do life together with. 

What does that look like?  You know each others' story.  you know what ignites each others' souls and you hold each other accountable.  You admit your shortcomings. You call it for what it is rather than what the other wants to hear.  You spend time with each others' families.  You meet socially.  You do yoga together.  You read a book together or anything else you enjoy doing! You meet to pray together, to encourage one another, and to share struggles, highlights, pitfalls, mountain tops, dreams, tears, and everything else in between.  You DO life together!

Life is too short to become consumed by your already too hectic schedule.  Reward yourself and settle down into the person God created each of us to be realizing He created us for community!  God lives in community with His Son and Holy Spirit so why do we feel we can go it alone?  We can't!  Life is too short! It is a GIFT.  It is time to go off your mat yogis!!! Take hold.  Connect. Invest. Do Life......together.