One of the most effective ways to teach a child to swing across a climber is to first teach him or her to fall.
It’s very tempting to keep your feet on the ground. It’s familiar. It is known. But even if we keep our feet on the ground, our mind is inevitably in heaven. Our thoughts wander wildly, imagining a future where the worst will happen. This holding on to the ground is what yoga philosophy calls Abhinivesha. It’s fear.
But we are called to do the opposite. We are called to let our actions fly but to keep our thoughts firm. We are called to take a step forward, to move forward, to launch ourselves. Let us try. But at the same time let’s keep our thoughts anchored in the present moment, in reality.
The reality is that if we fall off the ramp, our adult is there to stop our fall. The reality is that if we fall alone, our feet may get a little itchy, but it’s not the end of the world. That is the wonderful gift of falling! It reigns in our wild thoughts and reminds us of reality. It’s not that bad. It is grounding.
Last week, Ryan Reynalds wrote a tribute to his good friend, Micheal J Fox. “He falls a lot,” Ryan writes, his comedian’s voice shining through. But then he continues: “Not just because I have Parkinson’s. “Micheal falls a lot because he is not afraid of flying.”
Without fear of flying.
Until next time,
Laura
Do you want more?
How much truth can you accept? (yoga talks)
Letting go of reluctance towards a new plan (yogatrailtalks)
