Saturday 21 June 2014

Walk where your feet are


I first heard this phrase uttered by Master Charles Cannon quite a few years ago, (maybe 10?) while at a 3 Gurus talk at the Shiva Yoga ashram.

It resonated with me at the time, obviously so because I still remember it.

It means a number of things to me.

It means that whatever is going on in your life right now, that is what you have to deal with.

For example, it means that if you have young children, then your priority is to nurture and care for them.

My children are grown up, but of course I still love seeing them and doing things with them and for them, but the caring and nurturing is less required now. However I now have elderly parents and it is time to spend some time caring for them.

It means that if you are holding down a job, your work (at least while you are there) is to do the job. I don’t think it means putting up with a whole lot of crap just because that is where you are, but perhaps there can be a recognition that you can do what you can do whole-heartedly, or you can make plans to change.

I think there is something about being grounded in the present moment that appeals to me too.

It means that if you are cooking dinner, then you are cooking dinner.

If I am teaching a yoga class, my whole focus is on the people in front of me.

Walk where your feet are also implies something about being on a path. 

To me it means to walk a spiritual path.  


What does that mean? Well on the path, you deal with what comes up the best way you can. You recognize others as showing you something about yourself. You recognize your shared humanity.

If someone irritating comes into your life, maybe there is something to learn?

Mataji says the same thing in a different way:

‘Your life is sufficient for your spiritual journey’.

Instead of looking elsewhere, trying this teacher or that experience, maybe my life, and your life too, is enough. Just walk right here where your feet are.

I think if you take time to listen within, you get some real clues about your path, your dharma, about what is required and how and where to walk. 


Another reason to meditate!

PS:
I wrote this blog a couple of days ago, thought it was finished actually, I just hadn’t published it yet, but then this weekend’s events have just made the point of ‘walking where your feet are’ again. There was something about going to the Classical Yoga weekend up in Albury this weekend that just didn’t feel right. I had got completely ready, packed the car, and just had to take my hubby for a quick doctor’s appointment before heading off. 7 hours and 3 locations, the last being the Eye and Ear hospital, and we finally got home with hubby requiring drops every hour for 2 days and nights until we go back to the hospital for follow-up. I didn’t end up going away. And then today I have had the dog at the vet with an infected sebaceous cyst that appeared overnight. Now I’m not saying that hubby couldn’t have managed on his own, and I’m not saying that I would pull out of a commitment with my teacher lightly either, but it seems to me my feet were required here and it would have been stressful and counter-intuitive to have gone away.  

I did feel a bit pulled in both directions – stay and support my hubby or go and support my teacher – but I know Mataji has a great support crew with her and I know they will get along perfectly well without me.

I just had to walk where my feet were.

And if you like you can call me ‘nurse Sarasvati’!







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