seeking light

Photo credit: Ruth Grohman

These past few weeks, I’ve been looking for light, knowing that we are approaching the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and what is often a dark and dreary time of year in the Pacific Northwest.  So even on overcast days, as I scan the sky, I seek light—and it’s there!  It’s there in the layers of clouds that sweep across the sky.  It’s not the blazing, brightness of the summer sun, but it is there, and I appreciate the light that I can see on these dark days. 

This quest for light is not only something I’m doing with my eyes in nature.  Each time I practice, there is always something new unfolding.  Just this morning, as I was stepping from Utthita Parsvakonasana (side angle pose) to Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog) I caught a glimmer of light—picking up the front foot in a way that reminded me of how to work with the leg on my arm in Visvamitrasana (pose dedicated to Visvamitra, a celebrated sage).  Sometimes, like this morning, these glimmers are physical in nature, but they all shed light on and pave the way toward a deeper experience of Self.  

As we come to the end of another year, I’m looking forward to shaking off the past year and seeing with fresh eyes the possibilities of the coming year with a practice of 108 Sun Salutations on New Year’s Day.  For those who want to prepare for this, I’ll be offering a studied approach on Tuesday, December 28 at 10:00 a.m. where we can look at each of the poses in greater depth.  I had such fun greeting 2021 this way!  I hope you’ll join me in welcoming 2022.

December 21, 2021