Here I am into the second term of my Yoga Therapy training and I am busier that I ever thought possible (hence the lack of blog posts). Going into the training I knew the work would be challenging and soulful, but I had no idea how powerful the training could be on forcing me to take a hard look at who I am and how I interact in the world – you know the kind of monumental shifts in one’s psyche that can occur after some huge catastrophic event. I won’t go into details, but suffice it to say, who I am is in the process of change, and this is no small task.
I have been asked to do readings in my course work and then journal on them. One of the books, The Forgotten Body by Elissa Cobb, is a good read for anyone interested in the world of yoga therapy. It’s a book with lots of little nuggets of insight and it explores, from many angles, the message that in our quest for wisdom and spiritual guidance, everything you need to know is already in you, in your body. There are numerous quotes and poems in the book, and I keep returning to one quote in particular. I’ve journaled about it and I’ve re-read it probably 30 times. My body and soul feel this quote, and there is a deep knowing in me that it is true, and well, maybe one day…
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God (fill in with your source for spirituality). Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so small that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberate others. Marianne Williamson
And so it is with me, on a journey to understand, at its roots, why and where my fears come from. This quote reminds me that sometimes fear keeps me from realizing, and consequently living, my full potential. Am I accurately assessing my limits? Where in my life am I holding back. This is exactly why I come back to my mat again and again – not to achieve some physical feat, but to activate and invigorate my own self-discovery.