every month, the yoga studio i take classes at picks a living, modern master to study for the month. in so doing, all the teachers select books to read quotes from, teach from and find inspiration in. i love that they do this - i've learned so much and been so inspired by the "masters" they've covered.
they've highlighted individuals like mary oliver, the poet, and beryl bender birch, the founder of power yoga in the usa. i love coming to class, sitting with my eyes closed and absorbing the wise words.
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| namaste studio @ the solebury club. credit {here} |
last month, they chose pema chodron, a buddhist monk, prolific author and enlightened guru. her words are awe-inspiring. and the simple truths she points out make you rethink how you look at the world & life's experiences.
so, without further ado...pema chodron...
"…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. they teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. they’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. this very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are."
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| yoga @ the solebury club. credit {here} |
"the most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves."
"welcome the present moment as if you had invited it. it is all we ever have so we might as well work with it rather than struggling against it. we might as well make it our friend and teacher rather than our enemy."
so, mavens...what do you think of pema?