The Edge

Life is a walk to the edge of a cliff. Every day we get a step nearer and what lies over the brink, no one can tell.”~ Deepak Chopra

In yoga classes we often talk about going to the edge; meaning taking your body and mind to just the right amount of effort so that you work hard, you increase your strength and flexibility and you learn not to freak out when your body is aching and your mind is demanding that you get out of this weird position right now! The most difficult part for many is to ease into a pose and just breath with it allowing all the feelings to come up and face them with a calm mind. That's when we become the watcher in a yoga class. Some panic when in a deep forward fold, getting an almost claustrophobic experience; sometimes in a twist like garudasana (eagle) we become agitated at holding such an awkward pose. Still others while holding a pose like utkatasana (awkward chair) that works the quadriceps in the front thighs are screaming in their minds to get out of it; their thighs burning with the effort.The yoga mat is a great place to practice calming the mind while in uncomfortable positions. When we take that lesson to our lives and "walk to the edge of a cliff" as Chopra suggests in the initial quote, we begin to truly practice yoga. We allow fears to let go as we edge closer and closer to what we fear but know in our hearts is not only okay but where we need to be. We calm our minds as we move out of our comfort zones and peer over the edge to what could be so great if we allow ourselves to take the next step. If we can let go of expectations and allow ourselves to embrace the unknown we become more open to what the universe has to offer us. We open our eyes and our hearts to possibilities, perhaps hearing for the first time the messages that are being sent our way. Today I will open my mind to the infinite possibilities  that exist over the edge of the cliff.