Fire....becoming comfortable in the uncomfortable

Dear Yogis,

As I sit here in the calm before the storm, anticipating Hurricane Sandy’s approach, I feel centered and peaceful.   But I know that is not necessarily the norm.  That for many people weather events can be very anxiety ridden.

The weather, nature, Mother Earth can be quite unpredictable.  And in events like this she shows us just how mighty she can be.    Just when we think we have our life in order, and that we are steering the ship, feeling good, whistling a tune……whoosh……….we realize just how small we truly are.  And that can be very uncomfortable.

The element of fire is all about working toward being “comfortable in the uncomfortable”.  Life is not a straight path with a clear map of what comes next.  No matter how hard we plan and how much order we create around us, there will be unexpected turns and obstacles.  This is all part of being alive.

But what we do have control of is how we face them.  This week we built the steady fire in Manipura, the confidence and inner strength, which is there to teach us that no matter what, everything will be ok.  That we can weather the storms by  staying grounded and letting go into the flow. 

The media doesn’t help.  We are bombarded with the most dire of warnings, hour and hour, day after day.  So the first step is to turn it off.  We all know what basic things we need to do to prepare.  And once those are done, tune instead to this moment.  Bring yourself back to this breath.  And for now, sit by the window and watch.  Notice this moment.   

And if over these days you begin to feel anxiety bubbling up…..do just as we did in our deep squat in class.  Allow the discomfort to rise.   Breathe into it.  Feel the sensations and notice where they are in the body and ask them to relax.  Slowing everything down.  Breathing into the belly, letting go of struggle and moving inward. 

So whether the storm is one from without, or from within, it is all just part of the path.  And if we want to be the infinite creators that we are meant to be, we must keep the front of the body open and continue to move forward through all that life brings us.    Being comfortable in the uncomfortable………..

All of this work with the fire element, although it may seem “hard”, is merely preparation for the real work – opening the heart.  Now that is the real challenge!

Believing I can, all the way to the center of my core,

SARAH