Where to start, when there is no beginning, no end , only now. So this blog begins with JOY. The simple joy of being alive, that breath of fresh Autumn air, waking to the birds singing, the joy of movement and connecting with people, shared smiles, shared JOY. We can take life too seriously, hold onto grudges, be fixed in our ways and judge others too harshly. The Sanskrit word 'Lila' has many layers of translation, for me today, it is the notion of 'playfulness' and in playfulness we experience the joy of living. Swadhisthana (Sacral chakra) is the home of joy, 'The Sweet Place' where joy, pleasure and creativity reside; either free to be expressed or held back, fixed and frightened to be free. Our bodies want to move, need to move, were born to move! ...yet we hold onto so much tension fear and inhibition that we find it hard to set our bodies free, we hold ourselves back from experiencing this 'Sweet place'.
The element of water is associated with Swadhisthana - constant flow, continual change. Only fixed when frozen....sound familiar to the feeling of holding fear in our body? Water moves; it moves over, under and around obstacles. With this constant movement and flow, over time it eventually wears down and removes obstacles or simply finds another path. Maybe we should cultivate the quality of water in our lives, persistent effort or having the adaptability to find another path when presented with obstacles.
An average adult body is made up of 60% water, 60% of our make up is the element that can move freely, flow and constantly change. It makes sense that our bodies want.... need to move! We were literally born to move; babies have the highest percentage when born - 78% . Children have a natural ability to experience joy through movement and playfulness.
Find your inner child, your inner body of water; MOVE, set yourself FREE, experience the simple JOY of being alive.
Getting our bodies moving consistently will eventually remove obstacles or find a way round them, clearing frozen areas, healing and making space for more JOY in our lives.
Salutation to the Dawn
Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course Lie all the verities and realities of your existence:
The bliss of growth The glory of action The splendour of beauty
For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow only a vision But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore to this day! Such is the salutation to the dawn.
Sanskrit proverb, attributed to Kalidasa, Indian Poet