Silence Within The Storm

Practice Off The Mat

Vol. 1 Issue 7

Bring on the winter!

For 16+ years, Noreen and I lived near Bug Light in South Portland. During blizzards I’d snowshoe to the lighthouse with friends (much to Nor’s chagrin). We’d watch the harbor churned up; ocean spray instantly freezing as waves hammered the shoreline. During Winter Storm Nemo the winds were so strong, we’d lean forward feeling the support of the air holding us up!  

I’ve also been in storms while hiking. With thunder loud enough to shake the earth under foot and lightning so close we could feel the hairs on our arm standing on end as it struck down. There are winter trips to Washington, Adams, Pierce, and Eisenhower when we couldn’t see more than 20 feet. The 60 mph winds and -40°F windchill shaking our bones while trying to not be blown off our feet or get lost.
So awesome.

Naturally I was excited to do wander outside during the blizzard last week (bless her ever patient heart, Noreen even joined me! 💚 )

Reflecting back, what I still feel from these experiences is the calm, peace, and serenity of it all.  Weird right?

Underneath the noise of the storm exists a layer of calm and serenity.  It appears when you close your eyes, find your breath, and fully lean into the entirety of that moment.  In doing so you connect openly with the moment. You find refuge. You find yourself.

Here’s the thing, though. There is so much turmoil it is easy to feel overwhelmed. You feel your breath taken away along with your sense of calm. The connection to the present is lost. The stress mounts. You feel you’ve lost control (remind me to share about my first-time above tree line in winter or when I almost slid off Mt. Washington into a ravine).

So - How does this relate to the practice of yoga?

I know what I am doing when I step out into these conditions. I’ve trained. I have learned through acquired knowledge and experiences. I have the right gear and tools. I plan for what I know I can control. I trust I’m ready to adapt to the unknown.

In short: I am prepared.  How? Because I’ve practiced.

In class the past couple of weeks we talked about the similarities with your yoga and meditation practice.

Life will clearly offer you storms. Your practice is how you develop the tools and resources – the “gear” and “equipment” and “experience”. These help you move more skillfully through the challenges and distress. It can help you find clarity to meet what the moment calls for. You can take it one step, breathe, heartbeat at a time. 

Your practice helps open the refuge that already exists in you. A place of strength, power, resolve. But also, love, grace, and compassion.

The more you practice on the mat, the more prepared you are off the mat.

Two questions that frequently come up:

Will the practice stop the storms from coming? Not to put too fine a point on it, but... not a f***ng chance. Full stop. I say this with a very loving heart - anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is wrong. At some point, being a human involves some amount of suffering - body, mind, heart, spirit. Sometimes it is a lot. Sometimes it is a little. It is only if we can recognize the suffering, and choosing how we respond to it, that determines how we walk through life.

How will the yoga & meditation practices help?  When you practice on the mat, you develop the skills and tools to observe the experience of your body, mind, heart, and spirit. When challenging times or distress occur, you are then able to more clearly recognize these impacts. By applying what you learn through practice, you can more readily identify what it is that you need. You can then more skillfully & mindfully choose how you respond to the need in that moment.

It is another reminder that you are your practice. Your practice is you. Wherever you go, so too does your practice.
 
Wherever you are today, whether in a period of calm, or navigating challenge and distress, I send to you my love and wishes for peace, grace, and ease to help navigate the next moment that comes your way .

Take a deep breath in. When ready, let the breath out. Repeat as necessary.

Remember: You are loved. You are limitless. You are epic.

See you on the mat soon,

Chris

“We move
Through stormy weather
We know that our days are few
And we dream and we struggle together
And love will carry us through.

— Lyrics from Drift While You’re Sleeping by Trey Anastasio