Why I do Yoga - in my own words..

After my daily practice, these words flowed out from me..


When I start, everything resists,
the body resists,
the mind reacts,
Life, in all its binding around me, growls,
You are wasting your time..
you could be doing a hundred different things right now..
as usual, the message feels 'not good enough, not perfect enough'....

But, there is a part of me,
that's stubborn, beaten-up, broken-down,
but, who can see, who can feel, who can 'be'....
that's the part that brings me to the mat,
inspite of my shortcomings,
because of my shortcomings,
I have to be on my mat....

I start slowly, breathing,
again...
I had forgotten I breathe..
In the dust and grime of Life,
I still forget I breathe...
I remind myself..
Breathe, just breathe....

The stretches seem stiff,
scales seem to cover my muscles,
sharp pains,
short pains,
I feel them all, no running away now,
nowhere to go..
I hold the pose, observing it all...
imperfect, stiff and so-not-great!!
But, I hold on
as I said, I'm stubborn.

As i hold on, I notice
an openness,
a slight small space, where there was tightness..
and pain..
this space becomes bigger and bigger..
like the Sun, luminous, bright, encompassing...

What Joy!!
What Freedom!!
To feel this beautiful, bright, sacred space within me,
That, I feel, is the glimpse of my Soul,
Already perfect in every way, filled with joy...

That is the moment when space and time stops,
I live free..
I breathe free..
I am free...

Asha