In a dream last night I noticed a few strangers had gathered on the lawn by the garage. Soon they came knocking at the door and wanted to know what ancient relics might be found below the surface of that particular area. I recalled that once there was an unusal sandy area, white sand with pools of deep blue water. But it had all been covered over by layers of soil planted with grass, and pipes that fed the sprinkler system. I walked out to explore and noticed the area was covered with fire ant mounds and as I attempted to explore, to do some amateur excavating, the ants soon covered my legs, but I washed them off with water and continued looking around. A few steps later I discovered the beautiful white sands and deep pools of fresh water, in an adjacent area, and a neighbor appeared to explain that it had been there all along. Upon further exploration I saw that the spring-fed pools of water in the white sand flowed down into a deep channel the water had carved into the hard stone that wound its way around a small island, then eventually emptied into the vastness of sea. People appeared and told me the route via canoe was a wonderful experience, potentially treacherous, but with care could easily be navigated and the journey was a great one. Soon large white stone carved benches appeared with beautiful views of the landscape below and people gathered to commune and share.
As in life, when we open our eyes there are dimensions of reality right before us that have been there all along. Sometimes the process of excavating through the surface dirt to see what lies below begins with first facing obstacles and "stings" that can, with effort, be overcome with a gentle steadfastness that will wash away those bites and begin to reveal new realities, new treasures, new journeys, and a vastness with no end. For me, a momentary glimpse into the infinite simply tells me "hey, I'm here, come explore", but more importantly stay the course of your journey, focus on what's right there in front of you less you lose sight of it.
As G says, so many new seeds of knowledge have been planted, be okay with feeling overwhelmed, and know that newly planted seeds must germinate. Delving into Patanjali's sutras, the study of pranayama, learning Sanskrit names of asanas, attending lectures and staying attentive and focused and taking notes, leading the class through Surya Namaskar Sequence A and B for the first time ever, watching videos that in the course of an hour summarize the history of yoga, continuing to maintain one's personal practice, attendng classes as participant, as observer, well, it can be a bit overwhelming. Dealing with the dynamics of a class setting, interacting with a group of new people, assisting, adjusting, sharing, learning together, all very challening, but definitely part of the journey. When I open my notebook it tells me to breathe and stay in the moment. It helps to regularly give myself permission to stumble.
In the above photos I'm 1. doing headstand on the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea, covered in Dead Sea mud which is meant to pull toxins out of the body. It felt good, especially being applied. 2) Floating in the Dead Sea. Because of the high salt content, the body just naturally floats at and slightly above the surface of the water. If you attempt to dog paddle or swim or do most of the things we are used to doing in *regular* water, it becomes a struggle because the Dead Sea naturally forces you to the surface. I'm told that people will get caught up in the struggle, face down in the water, and drown. It's a matter of complete surrender to the water.
