Sadhana in the midst of chaos

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the importance of practice.  For a teacher of yoga, I think it is necessary.  When we feel good, we practice.  When we feel bad, we practice.  When there are a million other things we "should" be doing we practice.  Part of the reason I think it is important to practice as daily as possible as an instructor has to do with authenticity; walk the walk, practice what you preach, all those mottos come to mind.

 

This week was completely insane.  Actually, let me back up, the past few weeks have been completely ridiculous.  I have been burning the candle at both ends, waking up at 6am and working until near midnight.  Weekends?  They haven't really existed, that is to say, I take it easier, squeeze in a surf session; but still put in at least 5 hours a day of work.  Normally, I wake up, do asana, pranayama and meditation in the morning, or do my whole practice when I get home from campus. With so much to do and so little time, I had to get creative on how to work my practice into my life.  Rather than sitting on my bolster in my living room, I decided my daily meditation this week would occur biking to campus and then from campus to home.  Thich Nhat Hanh writes on moving meditations in his book Being Peace,

            "Walking meditation is really to enjoy the walking.  Walking not in order to arrive, just for walking.  The purpose is to be in the present moment and enjoy each step you make.  Therefore you have to shake off all worries and anxieties, not thinking of the future, not thinking of the past, just enjoying the present moment." (110-111)

So, I took this passage to heart and tried a biking meditation.  It was delightful and necessary with so much happening in my life.  

 This week will be less hectic.  I will be able to get some decent sleep and get back on my cushion.  I will not forget however, to clear my head while biking.  Leave what ever has happened in the morning as it is on my way out the door and breath with a wide, spacious mind on my bicycle, not worrying about what is to come when I arrive at my destination.  In my mind, the more moments during the day we can clear our heads and breath, the more our deeds are in line with our values, we say and do what we mean to.  The more we are present the more opportunities we will have to observe beauty and appreciate all that is good in our lives.  Moment to moment to moment . . .