Open hand

The goal of yoga is adaptability not flexibility. Many students come to asana in order to be more flexible but what's more important is to be more adaptable and let life flow through you without resistance.

Today's super bowl Sunday class was about being yielding to the flow of life.
The super bowl is a big moment for all these professional athletes. But for me, someone who hasn't watched a patriot game all year, I've missed all of their little moments.
In fact there were thousands of little moments, leading up to this big moment for these men. From throwing the ball around with dad as a kid, to college, to every practice, leading up to this big moment.
Similarly in our practice for every handstand, there were thousands of lift and leans, hamstring stretches, shoulder strengthener and fails. They say the master has failed more times than you have even tried. And so we see that life is about all of these moments, big and small. When we can appreciate these little moments rather than always waiting for the future for that big moment, we can find presence and peace.

Often we are forcing and grasping . Keeping in our mind the way we think things are supposed to be. I'll be happy when I get my handstand, when I find the right girl, when I get a job. And then when we get there we are trying to hold onto things and own them as 'ours'.
Whether it is in a pose in our yoga practice or a person in our life, you usually cannot hold onto these things forever.
Yesterday I did full dancer for the first time ever. (Big moment) but there were thousands of bridges, pigions, wheels and practices (little moments) before that. And then today I couldn't do dancer, non attachment. Our body and practice teaches us this lesson of non attachment. In the same way we cannot own a pose, we cannot own another. We as humans can be measured by our ability to let things go gracefully.
Every day is different in our practice and in our life. Which is a huge complex for the humanimd. We always want to own to HAVE ,people, poses. Whatever it is.
Like Osho says; If you love a flower, let it be. If you pick it it dies and ceases to be what you once loved. Love is about appreciation not possession.
But the more we let things come to us with an open palm without trying to close it, the longer they will stay.
When we realize life is just these little series of moments , well stop worrying about the big moment.

Most of today's class was played to an artists who's songs resonate with me especially recently as I contemplate Nonattachment.
Hozier. He's so amazingly talented. This is the point when if Nellie is reading she will roll her eyes at me about how I'm six months late on this obsession. If you are reading, I'm sorry my musically informed friend. One day I will be as artsy and different and hip as you but for now I always appreciate your guidance and suggestions even if I don't listen for about three months . ❤️
Every song speaks to me but I think my favorite will have to be cherry wine about appreciating what you have when you have it and letting it go with an open hand.

"It looks ugly, but it's clean
Oh mamma, don't fuss over me
...
The way she tells me I'm hers and she is mine
Open hand or closed fist would be fine
The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine
Calls of guilty thrown at me
All while she stains
The sheets of some other
Thrown at me so powerfully
Just like she throws with the arm of her brother
But I want it, it's a crime
That she's not around most of the time
And it's worth it, it's divine
I have this some of the time"

So when we learn to live in the present moment and enjoy the journey, we realize the absolutely rarity of every moment and appreciate it. There will never be another moment like the one you are in right now. This helps us to enjoy love when we have it, enjoy solitude wen we have it. Enjoy days our body wants to work hard, and enjoy days our body needs a rest.
Stop trying to make things the way you want them to be , stop resisting, stop trying to control, stop trying to make the world turn your way, and instead flow with life and the way things are.