What if your practice is a way to true love? I'm talking about a heart-blowing, life-changing, real love. A love that you can't even mess-up as it's not dependent on... anything.
It's easy to like anything as long as it makes you feel good. Yeah: as long as your practice is uplifting, you're ready to roll your mat and "just do it".
But it's at the deeper level when things get more fulfilling. There's the love that shines through the likes and dislikes. It breaks through the layers of pleasure and pain, and is neither impressed by nor couldn't care less about your successes and failures. There's that understanding in the all-encompassing being-ness of true love.
As well know, the first months of the practice are a honeymoon for many. There are lots of positive changes, and all of a sudden the whole life feels better. The body changes, the mind becomes clear. Lights, butterflies, happiness. Everything about your new love feels positive. Lots of fun dates with your practice.
And, for some, first comes the pain. It’s uncomfortable. Like taking a bitter tasting medicine yet continuing to take it. Because it works, or because there’s no option. It's oh so tough, but it still makes you feel better at the end.
But the honeymoon doesn't last forever. Neither does the pain. Or at least, even the worst pain will shift and change in one way or another.
You'll find the real deal by going deeper into yourself. By moving beyond the experiences that you keep facing at the surface level. No matter how seductive those experiences might be, keep looking deeper. Through breathing, and by allowing, but not giving too much importance to those experiences.
Looking though the eyes of love, it's irrelevant whether you made it today in your headstand, jump-though or karandavasana. It's actually funny that we get caught up by those things!
The Self, the truth, the beyond words, love, consciousness, God. Always there beneath the stream of things happening and feelings changing.
How to get there? Practice, always practice with love. Caringly, day after day. And while practicing, listen to the less obvious, silent whispers inside.
Scrap the surface gently, wipe wipe wipe it every day with caring strokes.
Train yourself to look beyond the stream of moments, the attainments, satisfactions and disappointments coming and going.
Repetition, structure, love.
And it will come visible. Like the screen beneath the moving picture. It's always there.
The love, the space, the emptiness and the fullness.
The gem within your heart.
