as you know, i recently got back from an AMAZING trip to ireland. while there, my husband and i visited the cliffs of moher. these majestic natural wonders soar over 700 feet high out of the atlantic ocean, and in a word are breathtaking. the parking lot is about a quarter mile from the cliffs. now, walking a 1/4 mile is usually no big deal, but when you're facing hurricane-force winds whipping in from over the cliffs and stinging rain, it's a different story. but, this being our one and only chance to see the cliffs, we weren't about to pass it up.

we trudged on, leaning the full weight of our bodies into the head wind in order to make progress...slowly. when we got to the barrier wall that separates visitors from the cliffs' edge we were in awe. even with sunglasses on (to protect our eyes from the harsh rain) and hoods drawn tightly around our faces, the vistas were undeniably phenomenal.

we decided to walk the path along the edge to take in a different view, and as we made our way south on the trail, the wind began to let up. and then the rain stopped. and then, low and behold, the sun peaked out from behind the dark clouds and shone down on us. we took our sunglasses off, put our hoods down, and took it all in again. almost as if for the first time.

in contrast to the violent weather before which made the cliffs seem almost menacing, they now appeared serene, peaceful, yet still magnificently powerful.

this whole experience seemed to me to be a living metaphor of the human experience. one minute, we're faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, emotions, thoughts, and fears, and the next, as if by magic or divine intervention, we "see the light". the weight of the world has been lifted from our shoulders, and we begin to smile.

with yoga, we seek to sit with whatever arises...be it rain, wind, hail, or blue skies and sunshine. we sit with what is present for us in that moment, knowing that it will change, as it always does. nothing lasts forever. we train ourselves not to be at the mercy of our inner storms, letting them dictate our lives, but to ride them out peaceably.

it's not about trying to stop the rain (that's a battle you'll never win), it's about being in the moment, and feeling the rain and wind against your skin. which, in turn, makes the sunshine all the sweeter.

took this pic with my iphone as the sun was breaking through the storm clouds