Breathe! Even if your crow doesn't fly.

My yoga teacher says the point of yoga is breathing - it's really not about getting my body into all those positions. In fact, she will often modify positions for those of us who can't quite get there. What she does insist on, however, is that we keep breathing.

Recently we were learning "the crow". In the crow only your hands are touching the ground in the final position, and your knees are resting on the back of your upper arms above your elbows. When you are in this position, the crow is said to be flying.

Debra, my instructor, said to us as we were moving into position, "Your crow does not have to fly," meaning that your knees did not actually have to come up onto your arms. I can tell you as a novice, that getting my knees up on my arms was not going to happen that night. I'm glad I have a gentle teacher who doesn't make me feel guilty about being in class and not being able to do it all. My crow was not going to fly.

The position, as I'm learning, is not the point. Breathing is the point. So at the moment when Debra said if you could to simply move into the flying position - she says it a lot better than that, of course - she also almost immediately said, "Breathe!" I did put an exclamation point there on purpose. She's quite gentle, but on this breathing thing, she's downright insistent. Sometimes she simply says, "breathe". But most of the time, it's "Breathe!" and sometimes even, "BREATHE!" Because, you see, at the moment of trying to get our crow to fly, there's this collective sucking of air in the room and then silence because without knowing it we're holding our breath. We're afraid of this position because, frankly, it's challenging, so we gasp and quit breathing. Now, in yoga, holding your breath is not helpful; in fact, if you want to get into various poses, it's downright counterproductive.

Have you ever noticed yourself not breathing as it were when something challenging happens? Something stressful? I've been thinking that what I'm learning in yoga is that this is a great place to start when I'm in a difficult spot in my day, when I'm troubled, challenged, disturbed or in any way aware that all is not well. "Breathe!"

One of the words for God's Spirit in Hebrew is "Ruach" which means "wind, breath, mind, spirit". When I breathe, simply do what my body does naturally, it is an opportunity to be infused with God's Spirit, an opportunity to be full instead of empty, at peace instead of stressed, joyful and peaceful instead of tense or disturbed. But how often we hear this collective sucking of air in the room when things get tense. Suddenly no one's breathing! In life, as in yoga, not breathing is downright counterproductive and makes stressful situations worse, makes it hard for God's spirit to flow in and out and through me.

Pay attention to your breathing. Breathe in and out and realize God is in that breathing. Wow. Your crow may not fly yet, but you can surely breathe!

Contemplation in the post-election: On Bumper Stickers and Glaphre'

Lauren's car is full of bumper stickers - interesting ones.
There are the three Apples, looking a bit like Apple's version of Pac Man, from computers we have purchased;
Outward Bound Alumni sticker - of which she is understandably quite proud;
Dragon Swimming - for her 4 years of high school swim team;
the liturgy-recalling one that says, Peace be with you.

But if I have a favorite, it is this one, no doubt inspired by her years of camping and her more recent Outward Bound experiences:
Go Outside.

Are you wondering what to do with your post election joy? What to do with your grief? (I saw a friend in the store who told me she wore black the day after the election for her morning walk.) I, on the other hand, am jubilant. What to do with your fears that this new day in American history will not live up to expectations? What to do with your hopes?

Go outside!

The many opinions on facebook and my space are driving you batty and you still want the old facebook back? Get off the computer and go outside.

Seriously. For me the fastest way to get back to peace and joy is to go outside. In my case it's my back yard, but it can be anywhere.

Sit
feel the wind on your face
the sun beating down on you
enjoy the moon
and the planets hanging out nearby
breathe
listen to the birds
notice the bats swooping through the darkness
admire the wingspan of the great blue heron rising from the creek
hear the water flowing
notice the rustle of the wind in the trees
enjoy the cool morning air
let yourself get wet in the rain
savor the fall colors
hear the coyotes (or dogs next door) howl
lie in the grass
be still


Glaphre' - prayer of peace
Glaphre' a wise teacher on prayer, once taught me a prayer. It is a prayer for healing, and I spent many hours praying this prayer when Austin was so sick. I have come to realize that it's a prayer for healing of many things, and it is so appropriate now as we desperately need to be healed from our divisiveness - particularly among those of us who call ourselves Christians.

The prayer starts this way: Go outside! Find a place that is green if you can. It might be your back yard, a park or a nearby body of water. Sit comfortably. Breathe. Notice your breathing - don't try to control it.

And then pray:

Lord, this is your creation; it is at peace.
I am your creation; let me be at peace.

Pray it silently, or quietly out loud. Sit for as long as you can - 5 minutes; 15 minutes; 30 minutes. And pray the prayer, slowly, contemplatively, quietly, peacefully, with the rhythm of your breathing, over and over during that time.

Allow yourself to be lifted above, or taken deep within. Let go of whatever is on your mind. You're not praying for peace for the world at this moment - just for yourself. Let the peace of Christ protect your heart. Let the God of peace fill you (see Philippians).

And then carry that peace with you. To work, to your family, to your reading or hearing or watching of the news, to your conversations, to your email, facebook, my space; to the grocery store where you run into your friends who voted differently than you; to the joy in your conversations with those who share your thrill at this election; to your grief and fear over the results of this election.

Go outside. Bring the peace with you. Do it again later in the day. Do it again tomorrow.

Go outside!
Peace be with you.

Jan Gunter - Writing from Round Rock where the cool breeze wafts through the window, the cardinals are chirping, and we elected our first in ages Democrat to the Texas State House - Diana Maldonado! Where that cute little red car of Lauren's doesn't come home every night anymore but instead sits on a parking lot at Texas State University. Where Austin, living 25 miles away at the Moreau House at St. Edward's University, is eating vegan and loving life and getting around better than ever. Where the Round Rock High School volleyball team is hoping for a state championship after beating Cy-Fair in a hard-fought battle last night. And where it promises to be a beautiful, peaceful day.

Write when you can! Keep in touch.