You know when you get a really great idea for your life and it almost takes your breath away? Years ago when I was in the computer industry and not loving it, I let myself fantasize about moving to Maui and living a life centered around fitness fun and nature. My mind went deep into the images and feeling of myself as a Yoga teacher on Maui. The dream became so real in my mind. I would see myself teaching a sweaty class then jumping into the ocean with my students. I reveled in the deliciousness…but had to face my current reality. I noticed my mind had split. Part of it was managing the current flow, but the other part was planning my escape to Maui. My split mind would sometimes torment me (when I worried the move was impossible) and other times delight me (when I was eagerly planning the move). But it was clear that my split mind had created an active calling that I could not ignore.
My plans to change my life and move to Maui felt good and right and powerful. So I continued to savor the idea. Layer by layer I worried less and planned more and the dream became a reality. I caught up with the expanded version of myself. I closed the gap, I unified the flux in my mind. Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodaha – Yoga is the easing of the mind’s flux.
Often this sutra is interpreted as simply quieting an agitated mind. And it is that. But it is also much more. What is the bigger purpose of easing an agitated mind? Inner peace. Right! But what will you do with that Inner Peace? Enjoy it! Yes, but then what? You see we came here to grow and morph and expand and evolve…from a place of inner peace but also passion and clarity. We are on an endless journey of new discoveries. So we will always be called to new levels of experience and awareness. In order to expand we have to have an active calling. An active calling is a split mind. In other words when we are aware of where we are and aware of where we want to go, our mind is “split”. And closing or unifying that split/gap/flux is the art of yoga. Yoga is closing the gap and catching up with our next-level self. And from that new vantage point, many new gap will appear. And we will close them and become more. Then open new ones, and so on for eternity.
Understanding and aligning with this pulsation of personal unfolding is the crux of the yoga practice. Once I came to Maui to teach yoga and that flow was steady and wonderful, I was called to develop my own style of yoga called Wisdom Flow Yoga. This alignment-rich vinyasa flow style incorporates the science of human architecture and optimal joint alignment with the free and varied way that spirit moves through each individual body. People loved this therapeutic yet flowing style and I was then called to create a school with a rich curriculum and now I conduct four Maui-based Yoga Teacher Training Programs every year. And there are many more active calling in progress… a sustainable farm with season dinner programs and Sunday Yoga Brunches… owning the building where our amazing studio is located… expanding the Bee Keeping business I started with my friend Sarah… finding the man of my dreams… and so on! Open a new gap, close it grow, open a new one, and off we go. Yogas Chittas Vritti Nirodaha!