Needing More Relish: Both Condiment & Awe!
Practice Off The Mat
Vol. 1 Issue 9
I don’t know which is tastier, to be honest.
n class on Sunday, I shared how I recently concluded I need more relish in my life. Why relish?
Merriam-Webster offers a couple of definitions for “relish” paraphrased here:
something adding a zestful flavor (especially a condiment as of pickles or green tomatoes)
enjoyment of or delight in something
This started while making dinner. I remembered we had picked up some sweet pickle relish for the first time in probably a decade. I added it to the burger, took one bite and suddenly remembered – the vinegar, garlic, pickle, peppers - so good! A little tiny flavor bomb!
My mind was blown. I couldn’t believe I had just stopped having relish for so long.
Fast forward to later in the week. I have been planning a little getaway for myself and Nor. A tiny escape from the grueling grind and the heavy burdens of these past few months. In doing so, my mind had been lost in the avalanche of trying to make it perfect. It had to be epic and amazing and flexible and on a budget. Yet also fun and interesting and safe and… and… and… I found myself stuck in a spiral.
To break the spell, I headed to the coffee shop. My walk peppered with planning, work, deadlines, class prep, business needs, and other such things. While there I absentmindedly grabbed a blueberry muffin and headed back to the next meeting or email or spreadsheet that was waiting.
I sat at my too cluttered desk and stared at a to-do list that could keep me busy until November 2023 if half of it weren’t due by May. I was distracted further by the train rolling by, a hungry cat nipping at my ankles, kids playing next door, and the looming dread of planning a perfect getaway.
Without thinking, I took a bite of my muffin and immediately stopped everything. There were SO MANY BLUEBERRIES! All at once my entire focus was centered on one thing.
(for reference: my love of blueberries is at a cellular level. They feed not only my body but also my heart and spirit.)
To unexpectedly find in this amazing muffin with all these blueberries in it, I was just in awe. Maybe that sounds silly or weird. But it was a stark, clear moment of bliss and enjoyment.
And there it was again. A reminder that amidst the fracas of it all, what I really need is more connection with joy and awe. It doesn’t have to be so convoluted.
In short: Once again, I found myself needing more relish in my life!
The push and pull of every day is immense. Tasks. Plans. Responsibilities. Events. Job(s). Health. Family. Friends. Pets. Community. Society. Culture. There is a tidal wave of pressure and influence that convinces the mind what we think we need to do and how we need to do it.
The result: a disconnect from our true nature. The mind once again getting in the way with the joy that already exists in yourself and your heart.
I was called back to the lecture I recently gave at USM where I spent time discussing the second of Patanjali’s sutras: “Yoga chitta vritti nirodha” – translated by Sri Swami Satchidanaanda as “The restraint of the modifications of mind-stuff is yoga.” The entire practice of yoga is defined so elegantly as quieting the distractions of the mind.
Oh that fickle, fickle mind. So powerful! So amazing! But also… kind of always getting distracted, confused, misled, obstructed, and susceptible to all the influences. These take us away from living in a heart centered place when we are open to the miracle of the moment; aware of the immense gift of our presence; and in tune with how connected through space and time to everything and everyone.
And yet there is your heart. I mean, how freaking amazing is your heart?! Kindness, compassion, empathy, love, joy, connection, gratitude. Your heart is limitless and can open you up to the miracle and gift of your own immense, radical presence.
And because it is easy to forget, because it is easy for the mind to distract you, that is why you practice.
The more you practice wherever you are – mat, studio, grocery store, walking down the street, at the stop light, in the meeting, before hitting “send”, anywhere, anytime, anyplace – the easier it becomes.
Practice. Practice. Practice. Not only will it get you to Carnegie Hall, it will also get a little closer to more peace, grace, ease, and awe…. More opportunities for relishing in the gift of your presence.
So my question to you: what are you going to relish this week? What moment are you going to take that extra pause, the lingering breath. What are you going to lean into and enjoy?
***
Thanks for reading. Thanks for being here. Thanks for being you.
As always, I relish in the gift being able to ketchup with you. I am in awe of how you continually mustard up the courage to show up for yourself through practice.
Remember: You are loved. You are limitless. You are epic.
See you on the mat Sunday,
Chris