Work As Play

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."

                                                                                                      Proust

My niece just sent this. Along with a beautiful writing by Martha Beck that I will end with. 

This morning at my yoga practice the instructor guided us into a clearly uncomfortable pose. Staying with the discomfort, my mind begins rumbling..."I don't like this"..."maybe my legs won't hold"...How long are we staying in this position?" Then the instructor begins to talk about our focus and where our minds might be at this point when we are supposed to be focusing on the breath. Do we know that we are strong and have the ability to remain here indefinitely? Are we giving into the discomfort and telling ourselves we need to give up?

Yoga is a practice I use to study not only my body but also my mind...do I give up easily? It always shows up on the mat. Am I strong and calm and balanced? This shows up, also. 

I don't remember if it is the Buddhist's or if it is a Zen saying..."the monkey mind", always rambling unless we guide it with our noticing.

The rest of what my niece sent me was by Martha Beck and is so beautiful that I wanted to share:

"Stop now, right now, and look around you. This is your place in the labyrinth. There is no place else you need to be. See with eyes that aren't fixed on goals. or focused on flaws. You are part of the endless, winding beauty. And as you learn to see the dappled loveliness of your life, as your new eyes help you begin loving the labyrinth, you;ll slowly come to realize that the labyrinth was made solely for the purpose of loving you".

Yes, you.