This I Know--Centered

I like to do yoga, but I stopped a few years ago when the pain in my back was more than I could bear.  I would sretch and the pain would be almost excruciating. Even a modified pose was difficult. Not long after that I was diagnosed with Ankalosing Spondilitis, a form of arthritis, along with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Not fun. Even more not fun is the injections I have to give myself every week, as witnessed by the bruise on my leg from last Tuesday's injection. But it is better than being bed ridden with pain. Use of the medication and a change in my diet, (no sugar, artificial sweetners, white flour, and what we think of as processed foods), has given me the ability to remain mobile, allowed me to take up hiking on a small basis, and more importantly, freed me from the excruciating pain I used to live with every single hour of every single day. Now the pain is still there, but it is small and I can mostly ignore it if I make wise food choices and don't remain stationary for too long.

I have started doing yoga again. Just a small good morning, greet the day, get stretched routine, but I love it and when I feel so much better when I do. It is the same routine I did before and the first week it seemed hard, but now, five weeks later, I can see a difference. I am much more flexible and my muscles respond quicker and recover faster. And I just feel better.

The basic premise of yoga is to help one align your spirit with your body so they both want the same thing. In other words, one becomes cognizant of their body/mind and how they are working together. Or not. After each stretch you hold the "pose" for a couple of counts and then return to your starting position before the next pose.  Your starting position is called center, the place you started, your grounding place, your roots.

The instructions for a pose are always followed by these words: "Come back to center".

The other morning as I was going through my routine in order to be stretched for my hike, these words struck me in a different light.

"Come back to Center". My starting point, my grounding place, my roots.

 This I Know- if I remember where I started, Him that gave me life and salvation, and return to Him again and again in prayer and supplication, I will be able to remain grounded and strong and be able to face whatever comes my way.

Namaste

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Indeed.