The Breath as Prayer

Photo by Cait Loper Photography.

This morning I offered my practice as a prayer. Let every movement, every moment, come from devotion. This was my intention at the start of class.

 

I closed my eyes so as not to seek answers from the mirror before me.

Listening. Drawing inward. Stilling the mind.

I did not look for perfection.

If there was any to be found, I stumbled into it with my eyes closed and my heart open.

The teacher reminded us about Thanksgiving week. "I'm sure you've been doing a lot of classes centered around gratitude," he said. "But why not let gratitude be an every day, all day kind of thing?"

When I sat beside him with my djembe for the chanting, I closed down my eyes. I let my heartbeat be an offering. I let my hand on the drum be an offering, a drawing out of sound.

In yoga, my purpose is to draw out more love from my heart, my core, my very being. Today I was reminded of the power of prayer, of letting the body be a moving, singing prayer on the mat.

Om bolo shri sat guru bhagavan ki... jai! To my teacher within, the only teacher of truth... victory.