I had a blog planned out for today. It was outlined, details were being added. It was going to be clever and insightful. Then, I took my dog for a walk this morning.
Have you ever really watched a dog on a walk? She isn't worried about the weather or bugs or even where she's going exactly. There's an attitude, an approach, to the entire experience that's refreshing. From the moment I say the word, "walk" until the moment she collapses on the floor, she is ready, open and completely aware. Watching her, feeling the joy emanating from her, I realized that I could learn a thing or two from her.
So, here are the lessons I'm learning about yoga and life from my four-legged friend:
1. Be present. The second the door opens, she is there. Every bit of attention she has is focused on the moment we are experiencing. Her every sense, every part of her being, is completely consumed with the here and now. Think back, when was the last time you felt entirely focused on the present moment? The concept of being present is a popular topic for discussion these days. Everyone seems to blame technology and our obsession with our phones for the distance we create between ourselves and others. I'm not here to discount others' research, but I also don't believe that technology is the reason we are not present in the moment or in our relationships. Honestly, it's hard to be present. It's so much easier to check out when faced with negative emotions or difficult situations. Yet, interestingly, sitting in those uncomfortable moments reduces them and being truly open to the positive moments intensifies them.
2. Everything has value. My dog is as interested in a tall blade of grass as she is a rose, she is just as happy splashing through a big puddle left from the previous weekend's rain as she is crossing a creek. And, the reason why is because, she simply observes it, feels it and then moves on. She doesn't "know" that one thing is better than the other. Have you ever noticed how many things we've been told are better than others? We assess and place value on almost everything. If you pay attention, you'll begin to see that many of our frustrations and disappointments are caused by these assessments.
3. Go where the road takes you. We come to a split in the path we're walking. She heads off down one path (the one that's dark and gloomy and filled with spider webs - she how my judgments hold me back?) and I decide on another. A simple call of her name, and she's back walking along in front of me, head up and tail wagging. She's not attached to a destination. She's not focused on getting somewhere to be happy. She's along for the ride, wherever that ride may take her. I envy that.
4. Collapse on the floor when necessary. Ok, so maybe you might choose a bed or the couch, but the point is, rest when you are tired. We walk in the door and she collapses, full on laid out, tongue drops to the floor and every muscle in her body melts into total relaxation. After a few moments, she'll lift herself off the floor and slowly meander over to her water bowl and then after a few drinks, she lowers herself to the floor once more. Within moments, I can hear her deep breathing. I realize she doesn't have bills to pay or lunch to fix and if you decide to lay down in the floor in the middle of the day, your boss might not grasp the beauty of it. But, we are a nation that suffers from insomnia and fills our days with task after task. We all could benefit from taking a break every once in awhile.
She may not be ready to substitute teach any of my classes just yet (she's mastered down dog and sphinx and corpse pose, but I'm not sure that'd be a very balanced class). Still, I think I'm going to follow her lead on a few things as I continue my journey.