The overarching theme throughout this month has been our connection to the earth and its elements. We began talking about water, moved onto earth and, this week, I have been inspired to bring fire into our consciousness. This is our first hot week here in the desert, where we’ve had consecutive days in the mid-90’s(F) with a couple hitting the century mark. You can feel the heat seeping back into our desert, so it’s timely to be reminded to watch our own internal furnace. I have learned over the past several years of living in the desert, that April is the month where people complain of cramping and feeling a bit wrung out. We haven’t had time to acclimate to the heat and haven’t yet adjusted our fluid intake from the cooler months. It’s time to check in and increase our hydration.
But on a deeper level, the energy of fire is about change and transformation. I am inspired to bear witness to the growth and evolution of the yoga teacher trainees. They will be graduating next weekend and the difference between when we first met in November to now is simply astounding. I’ve been fortunate to witness this blossoming in each of the five training programs I’ve offered and sit in simple amazement of what a courageous process it can be. The trainees have their feet held to the fire, experienced vulnerability in ways they perhaps never have before and, in doing so, find the confidence to uncover their own unique voice. The result is that each one of them will have an authenticity to what they teach and how they share this practice. I have a saying that “we teach what’s within us” and part of this arduous process is working deeply on our individual practice of yoga. We share what we know and, rather than being told what to teach, they teach what’s in them through discovering a deep resonance and meaning. Simply put…it’s profound.
In thinking about fire, it’s an element that needs other elements to be in existence. It needs air and combustible material to be fire. If fire is hot enough it can split stone. And our giant sequoia forests need fires to signal a dropping of their seeds which find a renewed and enriched soil. “Fire is never a gentle master”, a proverb that speaks to its volatility and power.
It’s the element that is associated with the third chakra, the residence of the solar plexus. This energetic center is about self-esteem, empowerment, and courage. It’s the place we go to when our intuition beckons us to create change, to confront what’s difficult, and to morph what no longer is serving us into something that does. We begin the journey and much like a potter placing an object into the kiln, often won’t know the outcome. If we can stay present throughout and lessen our attachment to the outcome, not only can this uncovering and evolution be one filled with highs and lows, but it can be a deeply sacred experience. Hearken back to a moment where you felt exposed, so much so that you almost didn’t move forward. Quitting seemed like a good option, yet something deep within you held it all together and you did what you had to do.
We all sit on the precipice at some point in our lives, dangling our feet in the realm of what could be dreamily possible. The fire gets lit by an idea of what could manifest, a call that’s being answered. And when we say yes to the journey, we may not know what to expect yet we step forward nonetheless. That’s courage. This week I honor the reminder of the power that’s sitting within us. The piece of us that’s willing to take a chance knowing that growth will definitely be part of the ride. It seems fitting to end this weeks thought with one of my favorite quotes:
When I walk to the edge of all the light I have and take that step into the darkness of the unknown, I believe one of two things will happen.
There will be something sold for me to stand on or I will be taught to fly.
~S. Marlin Edges
