Spring is Here! — Meena Malik

The seeds planted in the winter are starting to sprout. The shiso plant seeds on my balcony have sprouted and are growing abundantly now, and some of the intentions and practices I set up for myself in the winter are also starting to sprout new branches in exciting ways.

Two weeks ago, I was in my favorite yoga class after missing it for two weeks due to a stubborn cold I’ve had for over a month. I was worried that I may start coughing in the middle of it, but thankfully I was able to hold it for most of the class. As we moved through the vinyasa class, I felt my heart rate rise and sweat form on my forehead, especially during moments of rigorous movement. After 40 minutes of intense work, we finally laid down to enjoy savasana. As soon as my body was in a horizontal position, I was attacked by an aggressive coughing episode and I had to leave the room. By the time I came back to the room, savasana was done. It felt like a precious reward was taken away from me. I was SO upset.

Until that moment, I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed savasana. I enjoy laying on the yoga mat feeling the heaviness of my body after a rigorous practice. I love noticing the speed of my heart rate and following it as it slows. I take pleasure in the sensation of my chest rising and falling as I lengthen my breath. I delight in feeling every sensation of the body instead of being consumed by thoughts. For those four minutes, I am completely present with my body. It is one of my favorite moments of the week.

One of the intentions I had set for myself this year (a seed I had planted for myself) was more presence. I want to live a slower life, where I am fully present in everything I do. Rather than multitasking and rushing through things, I want to do one thing at a time, slowly. To be honest, it has been a struggle to feel presence amidst all that is happening in our lives and in our world, but the savasana moment was a sprout for me. A small but strong sprout that reminds me of the joyousness of presence and encourages me to continue to practice. So I have been practicing.

Let me share with you some of the things I have noticed from being more present:

when I swing my arms wide during Zumba, I can feel the wind against my arms and it feels so good
Luca’s facial expression changes pretty much every second while he tells a story
on the way to Luca’s school, we pass by at least 25 different types of flowers that are currently in full bloom

What kind of (literal and/or figurative) seeds did you plant? Do you see anything sprouting around you and within you? What discoveries have you made?