Do you ever catch yourself smiling for no reason? Hope so. If not, what's the point of waking up in the morning? I suppose there's always mochas, morning sex (not sure what that is any more as the person I live with disappears before the crack of dawn), pedicures (guys, foot massages are a lost art and tend to come with worthwhile reciprocity), being with the people you love -- the ones who make you smile just because.
Think about how much you give to those around you just by sending them a little piece of your heart. I taught a tiny class this morning, which is always much more challenging than leading a stacked room, and it was enough having one smiling, happy face (Randy, you never let me down) to motivate me and feed my soul so I could sparkle (even though I'd started my day with a disappointing Starbucks experience).
After teaching, as I gave myself over to my own practice, I thought about how I stay lit from within and developed a prescription to make the rest of you tolerable: get a little sunshine everyday (even if it's the synthetic kind found at the tanning salon); kiss someone whose touch enraptures; sweat to awaken your body (this can be more fun than you think if you use your imagination); satisfy your sweet tooth (only liars don't have one); allow your vulnerability to shine -- those worthy of your attention will appreciate it; embody your inner strength even if it keeps people at a distance (your allure will eventually attract companions for whom you don't have to pretend; take care of someone who needs you (choose this person carefully). Breathe deeply and let the endorphin release wash over you.
We all know our happiness is a result of the choices we make. Even the poor choices can be rectified. There is always something positive you can take away from an opinion or experience. As I set myself up for pranayama breathing this morning, I checked out my alignment in the side mirror and scrutinized what I felt had become a little too boom-boom-pow an asset. Thoughts of myself as a lost Kardashian sister crept in, distracting me from breathing as long, slow, and as much as possible. It took a few fake-it-till-you-make-it smiles before I conjured up one that proved genuine, which I used to slay my self-sabotage by focusing for a second on the men in my life who have come and gone -- and come again, all of whom prized my rear view. Staring at myself in the mirror for an hour and a half almost everyday is what makes me vulnerable and allows me to embody my inner and outer strength; some practitioners say it's the hardest part of the yoga.
What we're really aiming for in the hot room and outside of it is honesty -- with oneself. You know what's up. Maybe you need to lose weight, gain a few pounds, makeover your soul. A student today, who happens to teach another style of hatha yoga, told me his motivation for doing Bikram lies in the sense of community that comes with such an all-consuming practice. When people partake in something requiring a minimum two-hour time commitment, they tend to become emotionally invested in the studio and other students who share their experience. Do you ever feel like busy classes buzz with energy so tangible, it pushes you along? You work harder than you might otherwise, without consciously trying. Power of the voodoo right? Didn't we tell you that coconut water is laced?
The real drug from which you experience double-rainbow effects is the honesty you are forced to confront the second you step on the mat and see yourself staring back at you. Once you hone it in the room, you can live it on the outside. Let it be the reason you get up in the morning. Your honesty gives you an all-access pass to your emotions -- so you can smile for no reason at all whenever you want.
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