If you bring forth what is within you, what youbring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what iswithin you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you. Gospel of Thomas.
I wrote my first yoga poem a few years ago.
It was about doing yoga on my blue mat
in the center of my kitchen.
At the time, I lived in a sweet
apartment in a very small town. There was one yoga studio and I
think it had closed down. At the time, I was living hand to mouth and
really had no resources to go to a yoga class, anyways. So, for two years my yoga consisted of
home practice, videos from the library, sequences from yoga magazines and conversations with the two yogis I knew in town.
It was in that time, in that kitchen, on that blue mat, yoga got practical and personal for me.
At heart, I am practical person and I know that I would not have survived that two years of extrememe finacial insecurity and isolation without that little blue mat{and my friends, esp. J.}.
The thing is a mat is an intimate object. It won't come to life but you bring your life to the mat and let it dance there. I've fallen apart on that mat, cried, meditated, done Pilates, lent it out, etc. It has withstood a lot of use, misuse and neglect. Despite it all, it still folds and supports me. I could not ask for more.
So, I wrote a ode to that mat, to that that moment because it centered my life.
I no longer have the poem. I think I tossed it away in a fit of cleaning but the feeling of gratitude remains in me.
I know the feeling of being attached to an important object that represents something very special to us. I wish I could read your poem. Have a lovely day, darling
ReplyDeletePs: I’m hosting a great sportswear GIVEAWAY today! Perfect for morning yoga practice!
oh how sweet. yoga {and my faithful mat} got me through the extreme stress of planning our wedding in a single month, just after graduating grad school, moving to a new city, and living with another person for the first time in 10 years. i never would have survived without my yoga!
ReplyDeletebut for me, i have three mugs which have shared every morning with me over the past 6 years. they're big and pretty and keep my tea warm. i have even forbidden dannon from using them, they're so special to me. :) there really is something about those small objects which are a part of a meaningful ritual that just make life so much better.
I know, me, too.
ReplyDeleteI am going to look for it again but pretty sure it's going.
Lol..I'll have to check your giveaway out.
Oh, your mugs sound delightful. I will have to explore the idea of ritual more. It is something I have been thinking about lately.
ReplyDeletethanks for your blog comment! yes, A Pug's Tale will be available as an ebook :) http://www.amazon.com/A-Pugs-Tale-ebook/dp/B004XFZ4C2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1306351423&sr=8-2
ReplyDelete"It won't come to life but you bring your life to the mat and let it dance there." LOVE!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of anyone writing a poem to their exercise mat. However, I can see why. Sadly, my cravings for coffee centre me.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I'm feeling overwhelmed at work, I go and I buy myself a brand new notebook and fancy pen to keep my work tasks. I don't know why, but it seems to make everything better.
ReplyDeleteThe best is when you can hold that feeling of gratitude inside of you. For me at the moment, it's the sunlight in the morning, the snuggly cats in bed with me, and the stillness at night that really help center me.
ReplyDeletei love this post.
ReplyDeletethis line is pure poetry:"It won't come to life but you bring your life to the mat and let it dance there."
thank you so much for sharing this story. it is quite beautiful.
xo
Your writing is so beautiful :)
ReplyDelete<3 Belly B
Great!
ReplyDeleteThat is true on so many levels. Glad you loved that line.
ReplyDeleteClarissa, I'm a strange bird. I've written poems to teapots, teacups, tea, windows, bathtubs, water, etc.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. I love any excuse to have a new notebook and pens.
ReplyDeleteyes, that is the best. I love morning-the sun, the birds...it's a lovefest.
ReplyDeleteHello fellow library lover,
ReplyDeleteThank you, I am so glad you like it.
Thank you, B.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful post, you captured the feeling and gratitude perfectly. I feel like that when I first wake up and sit by the window with my cats :)
ReplyDeletewhat a touching piece, Keishua!! my mat is purple :) and while I've had it for many years now, I've never written a poem to it...what a beautiful idea.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I left a little something for you on my blog this morning ;-)
Namaste
Funny..I share so many of the same sentiments about my blue yoga mat. Near and dear to my heart!!!
ReplyDeleteI had a blue mat that I loved too! But when I moved to Australia I thought it was silly to bring a yoga mat all the way to Oz with me, so I left it at home. Now I have a beige yoga mat...It's not quite the same, but it's become a very good friend.
ReplyDeletesuch a shame you dont have the poem anymore I would have loved to read it!!
ReplyDeleteOh, cats can inspire the best in us. They truly humble us, don't they?
ReplyDeleteThat you Grace!
ReplyDeleteyes, it was my first. I tried to replace it with a purple one but could not get into it.
ReplyDeletebeige..my floor gets too dirty for that :) I love that your mat is a good friend.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. I go through cleaning fits and sometimes toss the good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI've been to a couple of yoga classes, but do not practice yoga. The feeling conveyed in this post is so beautiful that it makes me want to start...and to find a special blue mat. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful sentiment, Keishua. I'm attached to my purple yoga mat in much the same way. We've experienced a rollercoaster of emotions together and yet, we're still going strong :)
ReplyDelete