Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Sweat: My Gliding Compass


Sweat pours in rivers down my face, blinding my eyes from the image reflecting back to me through the candle-lit mirror. My fellow students surrounding me flow from one intricately designed pose to another, sinking deeper into their inner beauty with each new twist of the body. I chant my mantra inside my head, blinding the pain with the mission of that days output. With each move I grow, expand and fill the empty holes within and without of myself. Sweat is the truth. Sweat is what I now yearn to see gliding down my body. Sweat is my enlightenment shining forth from my body.

Once upon a time I hated to sweat. What young female doesn't hate to sweat profusely in public? The first fews days of hot yoga I was ashamed of my sweat, of the rivets of water rolling down my body, soaking my clothing. Now sweat is benevolent. Watching myself and my fellow students sweating in each pose is satisfying. There is glory in that sweat. I earned that sweat. We earned that sweat stain.

I have just begun this journey of learning the depth and vitality engrained in the practice of yoga. I struggle with each 90 minute class. My practice's intention always begins with, “I will make it through this class” then followed by 1-2 simple words that define my mantra for those 90 minutes of spiritual and physical blended healing. Sometimes it is as simple as, “love” or “release” or “flow”, other times it is to simply smile and enjoy the moments I am hating the most. But at the end of every class no matter if I have cried that day, smiled and laughed, or just barely made it through I know I will be coming back for more.


This onset of a path I have just only begun is strewn with rewards and beauty along the way. I am content to walk this path and patiently find where it will take me, with sweat as my gliding compass.