Lindsay Kolasa

go to yoga
but don’t get lost in the fancy clothes
or the accuracy of the pose
or where you can put your nose
you don’t even need a mat
they’re rolled up in the back
stacked so honeycomb
waiting for you to set the tone
on your sticky, rubber throne

and don’t presume
that the latest costume
will perfume
how you feel in the room
although it it does help
to feel that svelte
in tight spandex
not knowing what
the teacher has planned next
and to stretch yourself there
with no care
on how the body shares
its deepest secrets
practically standing there
in your underwear

go to yoga
and don’t expect
your teacher to levitate
or you won’t appreciate
when they actually do
maybe not in body
but in their ability
to lift the mood
and shift your attitude

try to read between the words
spoken around you
for meaning is found in between
what you hear
and what you feel
and meaning is what makes it real

do this while
balancing on one foot
wiping sweat from your forehead
discovering your breath
conversing with your inner child
mulling over the latest headlines
sifting through memories
thinking of somewhere else you’d rather be
enjoying each moment so tenderly

be open to no answers
and even the answers that come
percolating up through your body
like stowed away treasure
waiting for the right time
and the right frame of mind
picking up what you’ve got
and not flinching
at what’s left behind

go to yoga
or just sit down
try not to frown
as you notice your breath
as you notice your thoughts
as you learn to ride the merry go round

learn first, to watch from the sidelines
see all the pretty horses
all the mirrors and colors
and hear the circular music
it looks charming in this light
looks harmless with no bite
later, you’ll learn to ride
and when you get off
you’ll take your own hand
and beam up at yourself saying
‘what a great ride that was’
because you were in it
and not of it
not below it
or above it

“I’m just sitting here
watching the wheels go round and round…”

be careful though:
don’t confuse
peace with passivity
as arjuna reminds us in the bhagivad g,
karma is the action you take
when you meet with something engaging
on the path you’re walking

go to yoga
stretch your limbs
stretch your soul
remember that the further you go
the further you will have to go
to feel something next time…
so then, what’s the rush?
isn’t each breath divine?

go to yoga
and take it for what it is
and as you get
more insight into yourself
into the nature of life
into things you can’t even name
take it home
try out some things on your own
and trust your own unfolding
begin making some cracks
into the limited molding
of what’s been holding
you back from yourself
and don’t be shocked to discover
more of who you are
perfectly reflected in
the jewel —
in that diamond
that’s been resting there all along
right under your noble chin

July 22, 2010