Blessed Always

Reading from Monday and Tuesday, November 14 and 15, 2011 yoga classes

"Several years ago, my friend and teacher Hala Khouri played a song recorded by Donna DeLory that touched me deeply as I lay in savasana.  I play it often now while my students let go into that sweet surrender at the end of class.  The words to this old Christian hymn are:

Blessed Always, Blessed Always
For the arms of God surround us
Let our joy be so triumphant
That we rest in God and say Amen

Yoga invites us into a personal relationship with Something.  It is the same Something that has the sun rise and set and the tides roll in and out day after day.  Call it whatever you want, God, Higher Power, Source, Mother Nature--that same Something blesses us--Always.

I was reminded of this yet again, in a recent visit with my best buddy, Sheila... who lost her husband two and half years ago.  Since that time... I have watched her walk through a difficult time of life.

In a conversation on this visit, Sheila spoke about the days on end when she had no idea of how she got out of bed or performed even the most basic activities of life--much less the business decisions and actions she attends to.  She said that she has often found herself in a restaurant, at the ocean, in a lawyer's office or someplace else with absolutely no idea of how she is functioning and sometimes even without recollection of how she got there.  She said: "I had no idea how it happened--Something got me there; Something keeps me going."

I was reminded in that moment, that it is not even necessary to know what it is.  I don't have to analyze, interpret, call it by a specific name, or do anything at all.  That Something is independent of how much money is in my bank account, my dress size, nationality, age, years of education, or color of my skin.  Something is Always There.  I need only receive, trust and let go, just like savasana. 

All of us have a relationship with Something.  Yoga invites us into that deep sweet, triumphant joy where we truly accept and recognize that we are Blessed Always!"

By Nikki Myers
Owner of City Yoga
2442 Central Avenue
Indianapolis, IN  46205
317-920-9642
www.cityyoga.biz

I met Nikki at Kripalu in October 2006 where I attended a week-long training with Seane Corn.  Nikki was one of her assistants.  I found out she was from Indiana, and then found out she was from Indianapolis, and then found out she owned a yoga studio.  She is a wonderful, sparkling lady with a fabulous smile.

I worked with a kind lady, Julie, while I was at the public library who lost her husband last week.  I went to the visitation and was so taken at how composed she was as the people who came to pay their respects filed by... so strong, so courageous.  He was only 55 years old.  As I stood there in line, I saw lots of people I knew and thought to myself how connected we are, even though, at times, we don't realize HOW connected we are to each other.   How comforting it is to know that we have each other when times get tough... to know that Something is Always There and we are blessed always.