Moving meditation

Yesterday I went to a yoga workshop dealing with mantras in asana.

I am falling into this place of genuinely feeling the practice as a moving meditation.
I've said it over and over to students, having moments of feeling it--and as I continue to add it into
my own practice, it truly is there.

I sense the kundalini rising when sound is added into movement.
Prana.
Love.
Om

More than my body

I'm moving a little easier today.
On Wednesday I used a frozen bag of vegi's on my back and it truly made a huge difference.
Plus, I spent time thinking about where I am, why I feel overstretched and what my body means to me.

I've spent most of my life taking advantage of my body.
I suppose most of us do.
I was a child who could do gymnastics and was semi-athletic.
Movement has never been strained for me.
I suppose that's one of the draws to yoga and bellydance for me.
I feel my body and challenge myself, physically and mentally, during both joys.

And if I don't have my physical body, where does that leave me?
As long as I am breathing, it leaves me to do pranayama more.
It leaves me to more meditation.
Mantra.
And it takes me back to my roots of art, jewelry and music.

I feel grateful that I have been given this life to express all the etheral qualities I feel.
I am more than my body, but remembering this on days I feel less, is challenging.

I will think about this more, figuring a way to express this while teaching...
loving what I do.

Tat Twam Asi

This past year in reading one of Swami V's books, I came across the mantra:
Tat Twam Asi


Though translated in various English phrases, "That thou are", I didn't really understand what I was supposed to understand about who That and Thou are.

And when I can't understand something, I don't force my way to the path, but I do open up the lines of communication to get to the path.

I read the phrase over.
And over.
And over.
I put it on my phone, so there it was/is--along with the picture of my family.

I let it happen.
And finally it did.

I read somewhere else a different sort of translation--
Tat: My soul/atman/innermost being connected to the
Twam: Braham/God/Universe
and bringing it all together in this great big connection is
Asi: Union

And  there you go...I got it.
Well, at least for now--a beginning of an understanding,
that may or may not be how I interupt it tomorrow.
:)
Om xoxo