Finding Grace

Gracefulness has been defined to be the outward expression of the inward harmony of the soul.” – William Hazlitt

I believe in the power of positive thought – by harmonizing with the soul the body becomes that outward expression of grace we search for day in and day out. In a blog in March I asked you to contemplate how a commitment to yoga could be used to affect your life physically, mentally and emotionally. What did you want to accomplish and how did you plan to do it? Are you still on the path? It is now time to check in with how you answered yourself and re-ask the same questions. Have you seen/felt a change? If so, how? If not, why?

Often times in my classes I’ll ask my students to find grace between the big stuff, like that simple step from back to front of the mat, the inhale that taking you from lunge into Warrior, and even that last bit of energy expended to pull one more pedal stroke and get to the top of a climb on the bike. Our mindfulness practice isn’t made up of each individual pose or pedal stroke, just as life isn't made up of only memorable moments. The more we pay attention, the more we can see those tiny moments as graceful beginnings to what's on the horizon. By paying attention to the space around being at work and getting there, that place between sleep and wake just before you nod off, the transition from the city's energy to the stillness of nature magic starts to happen and often times it's hard to see it. 

It is no simple task paying attention to the space between the bigger moments but as we make it a habit, we realize it is where grace lives.  We start to learn by doing and it's not going to come easily. We also come to recognize that the moments where things are hard and we find our way to risk and reward, in moments of doubt, frustration, happiness, anticipation, hopelessness and depression are all tests in being graceful in the way we react to and interact with the world around us. Each and every day you have an opportunity to find it. It presents itself in tough situations, last-minute changes and those moments when it would be so much easier to just quit than face what lies ahead. These times are the ones that help us get through the bigger stuff and show us we do actually get what we ask for in our prayers to the universe -- they just don't always come in the form we expect or desire them to. 

 Finding grace isn’t always easy. If it weren’t so elusive, don’t you think everyone would live by it?

Not too long ago I watched Evan Almighty with my little. There was a scene that stuck out for me and I want to leave you with that today and it has everything to do with moving through life gracefully.