Let our Thoughts Blow in the Wind.

Let our thoughts blow in the wind. 

     My yoga practice takes me to several studios, each brings what I need; be it the singing of AUM, a 95-degree room, or a practice that focuses on the body and its alignment.  

     Today, my practice took me to Marta and the singing of Aum. I love practicing with Marta, her voice is calming; she has a way of connecting breath, body, and mind. I begin my practice as I normally do; laying down my mat, gathering my props and putting out my journal. As I sat in a quiet meditation before class began I looked out the window to see fall in its most beautiful glory. And, there in front of me was a milkweed plant with its seeds blowing in the wind. 

     My mind journey began. As I came up into Bitilasana: Cow Pose a breeze blew, the milkweed plant would bend, but the seeds stayed intact, stayed clinging to the stalk. Staying on our hands and knees in Tabletop we moved to Parighasana: Gate Pose, and as I stretched my arm out over my ear I looked at the plant; I had become mesmerized by wind bending the stalk to and fro wondering what would happen to the seeds. Was there a metaphor emerging?  A gust of wind tore a seed away and it floated a few feet away where it stuck to another milkweed stalk. I thought, was does this mean? Are these seeds like the thoughts in our mind, thoughts that when we come to our mat, are often told to put aside without judgement. And yet, even when we try some thoughts may move on, but others remain close, somewhat elusive. A thought that would fight to stay just on the periphery, waiting its turn to come back. 

     I love Tadasana: Mountain Pose, to feel grounded to the earth brings so much energy to my body and mind.  I feel connected. Marta had the class take our arms out into goalposts, broadening through our collarbones shining our heart chakra outward. I looked out at the horizon and noticed that one of the seeds was floating, floating around in circles, coming close to the stalk, and then a sudden gust of wind sent it up and away, going higher and higher.  I pondered, had this thought decided it was not needed, and could take itself away? 

     What can this milkweed and its seeds teach me? All through my practice my eyes returned to the plant to see what would happen next. Where would the next seed go? And, did the wind decide or did the plant, or the seed decide? I was continuously drawn back to the milkweed, wondering if a seed would depart and where it would go. 
     Seated in a Upavistha Konasana: Seated Wide Legged Forward Fold, I moved my body to feel the lengthening of my spine and inner thighs bringing my elbows down to the mat, my eyes traveled out to the garden. The milkweed was being bombarded by strong gusts of wind, bowing back and forth. I wondered can the seeds also stay strong or will they succumb to the gusts. My thought was not even finished when a seed was torn from its pod right into a spider’s web on the side of the building.

You can only imagine the analysis that began in my mind. What did this mean? Do we have thoughts that want to move on only to be caught in our minds web? And, what kinds of thoughts are these? Ones that feel they are important and the mind or the person does not realize it. 

     Our practice was drawing near to its close and we were brought into meditation. Normally, I close my eyes and let my breath calm my mind and body. But, I found that my lids staying open a bit to watch the milkweed and its seeds. To watch the seed that had become mired in the spiders’ web, wondering if it would free itself. When I did close my lids I saw the garden, the pod, and its seeds in my mind and this blog began to take form. The milkweed is our mind and the seeds are our thoughts. Whether it is a gust of wind or an event in our lives, the seeds, our thoughts may take many different journeys. 

  Love to hear from you. Thanks: Debra 

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