A vibrantly healthy Norfolk pine tree plant helped me during my yoga practice today. I was back in vrksasana and I usually stare at the floor to help maintain my balance in this pose. Today I noticed that I'd ended up facing this plant and all of a sudden as I studied its structure I found myself balancing effortlessly. Briefly only, but I noticed that the plant helped me take a small portion of my focus off "the pose". Suddenly my practice was no longer only about "me". The plant was my companion in the endeavor as it was only inches away from me. Looking at the plant calmed me down and allowed me to naturally assume the pose. I was able to relax and just do it.
Do plants have that effect on you? Do they calm you? Being outdoors really helps me too. Once I finally got outside today I really calmed down. Saying that, I think of my dog, Miss Maddie, a one and a half year old labrador retriever. If you know anything about labrador retrievers you know that they don't settle into their adulthood until they are about 3.5 or 4 year's old. Miss Maddie leaves her pen like a tightly wound spring releasing full tilt into the air. She needs lots of serious running every day to keep her calm.
I no longer need running each day, but I do need space to move. In yoga I've learned that my space can be pretty much the size of a yoga mat and I still feel like I've seriously moved. I'm calm. Even so, I still love the open expanse of a large view outdoors. Moving through space. That's my ticket to freedom. What is your ticket to freedom?
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