Noticing Miracles

Noticing Miracles

If you’ve came and practiced in my class anytime recently, you may notice an exercise we practice while finding our deepest meditative state.  (And you don’t have to come to my class to practice this!  You can practice it anytime you like!)

Notice your surroundings.  Hear the sounds of the room.  See what’s to your left and your right, above you and behind you, without changing your eyes.

There are a few reasons we do this in our yoga practice.  The best reason is simply to stay out of your head and in your present moment.  Where are you?  Are you in a yoga studio, next to your peers, focusing on your breathing?  Or are you at Giant Eagle, in your Gmail account, or hanging on the words of a coworker from earlier in your day?  It’s very simple.  If we are constantly noticing where we are and what we are doing, it’ll keep us where we’re supposed to be.

Beyond noticing our present moment, it’ll widen our view of where we’re supposed to be, and what’s all around us.  If our eyes are open, we will see all of life’s miracles that are constantly being presented to us.  If our eyes are shut, we’re not going to see anything new.  And unfortunately, we won’t see our happiest memories on that broken record that plays in our mind…typically it’s just replays of stress and clutter that insists on a perpetual chatter in our heads.  But if we insist to stay focused, on not just what we are doing, where we are, but what’s going on around us, we’ll be graced with the presence of life’s miracles each and every day.

Recently I began jogging.  I was reluctant to start because I knew it would be hard, I know I’m out of shape as far as running goes, and I know I’m not good at it.  Perhaps first it was vanity that inspired me.  Summer is coming and I want to not only have sexy, strong legs…but I want to be in shape for my concerts and summer events!  Earlier in my 20s yoga was plenty to keep me fit and energetic.  

Now, after so many years and so much time at the studio, I realized I needed a little more.  Along with tone and sculpted legs and more energy, I decided to take up jogging because I am distracted at the yoga studio. It’s difficult to go in there and not be in “work mode” after over 4 years of teaching and managing studios.  I certainly can make the shapes I’m supposed to, and typically with enough ease to let the business of the studio, the drama of my personal life, and even my brilliant ideas bounce around in my skull for the whole 90 minutes.  Then when it’s time to get up and go teach my classes I think… “Shit, what just happened in there?”

My body and mind realizations on jogging were accurate.  I’m happier with my legs, my lungs are getting stronger, I have more power in my yoga classes and more energy in my day, and it’s much easier for me to turn off the infomercial in my brain when I’m running.  I knew the fresh Millvale air would do me good…

..But what I didn’t realize is the spiritual benefit that would come along with it.  When I run, only sometimes I use my headphones.  (Like if I have some really important Lee Scratch Perry songs to listen to.)  I do this for safety.  I want to be able to hear a car coming, a dog barking, and see a giant, jagged pothole I’m about to plummet into.

So with my mind free from its chains, my focus on my breath, and my intentional awareness to my surroundings, I began to notice beautiful things.

Recently the physical world lost a shining light, Ryan, my cousin.  It is an extremely painful loss for his family and friends, as he was just 34 and died suddenly in the night.  Lately it seems that I’ve lost way too many young friends.  I even have dreams sometimes about them, and they’re never really comforting.  I described some of these events and dreams to one of my friends and teacher, Crystal Hoffman.  

She instructed me to incorporate them in my meditations and prayers, and that may not only be helpful to me but to them as well.

As soon as I heard the news, I did a meditation and asked for the presence of Ryan, and my other friends and loved ones who are gone.  I ask them to help us here on Earth, the friends who miss them every day, and to help each other as well. Then, I put on my running shoes and went outside for a jog.  It was a good time to clear my mind and not think too much about what was going on.

It was a beautiful day in Pittsburgh.  The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the birds were singing, celebrating springtime in Millvale.  I was enjoying my healthy lungs, the beautiful weather, and the freedom that comes with awareness.  And then, I saw a gift.

There was a whole flock of cardinals flying together, and then they all split apart.  I noticed that most of the cardinals were young.  One landed above me on a telephone wire, briefly looked at me, and then continued on its way.

Photo by Melissa Sines.  Check out her work at Sines Design!

I felt very blessed and honored to see these birds, because I knew it was my friends.  I continued to run, continued to stay opened, and continued to see beautiful little gifts all over Millvale.  People smiled and waved to me, dogs wagged their tails, the sun continued to shine and a gentle breeze caressed and cooled the Boro gently.

But imagine if I’d not spend some time investigating my awareness?  Imagine if I’d have instead stayed inside and dwelled on my pain?  Imagine if I didn’t practice keeping my friends with me now and began to forget them?  Sure, I might still have gone out to jog and seen some birds, but they’d be meaningless.  Or, I’d never have seen them at all.

And I want to see the miracles.  I don’t want to see repeats of Shop n Save or the I Am Yoga schedule over and over again.  I want to see Gerri…so I watch my plants grow.  I want to see Dan, so I look for him.  I want to feel peace, so I set good intentions and try to keep them that way. 

One of my favorite teachers and huge inspirations, Denyse Kling would always say in her class, “this yoga is not handed to you on a silver platter.  No, this is something you have to earn.  But it’s here; it’s available to you, and ready for the taking.” 

Sometimes just getting to the studio is a miracle, right?  Right!

I saw a really good little blip on a sign in front of a Church in Millvale.  It said, “What if God asked YOU for a sign?”

Don’t expect miracles to be handed to you on a silver platter.  Don’t expect a burning bush to show up and tell you what to do.  Instead, know we have the ability to see if we just practice opening our eyes.  We have to find ways to turn off the suffering in our minds.  We must keep the body eager and energetic.  And we can keep our loved ones who have left the earth close by…but we have to choose to see them.