Perspectives

This weekend I had the pleasure of camping with family I only have the opportunity to see once or twice a year. It is a grounding experience to camp, and I took the opportunity to sit and breathe. I picked a place to sit that afforded me the most comfortable seat, given the terrain. It gave me a nice view of the lake and the hills on the other side. It was pretty. After I practiced some pranayama, I noticed that I was sitting with some young trees quite close to me. I was so preoccupied with the horizon that I didn't even notice how close I was sitting to those trees. It would have been an interesting scene to come upon. If someone happened to notice me they probably would have thought my choice of seat strange. It would have looked like I was staring at a tree at a pretty close range.

I have this trouble conceptually as well. There are things I hold carefully within myself so that I don't have to see them. Those things that are closest to me are out of focus. Fears, emotional issues and anything I identify with that I don't like about myself, I can't see clearly. I have no perspective. But there are those who are close to me that are able to see these things.

This week's class is an exploration of perspective and a celebration of those people in our lives who can bring some to us. Physically speaking, our asana will help to create space internally, so that we can create our own perspective. There will be twisting and forward folds, so we squeeze out our physical and emotional toxins and let them go. We will also make use of visualization to create sweeping vistas we can access any time we're feeling claustrophobic. And, of course, pranayama will be an important part of our spacious plan.

If you're still having trouble with gaining perspective, this is the perfect time to celebrate someone close to you who has it. Kids are great for this. You can either be a better person because you want to be a role model for your children or you can perpetuate your own neuroses in the next generation. Have you ever had your kid do something that you just know is from you and you cringe because it's not a very flattering representation? Yikes.
If you are having difficulty, think of a person with whom you have mutual respect and trust. If you can avoid, or get over, being defensive, that person becomes invaluable in the process of personal growth.