Whirling with Joy

 I hope you’ve taken some time to consider how to make these holidays happier by living with purpose, seeking enjoyment, and fostering satisfaction. (Doesn’t sound familiar? You can catch up on my blog post How to Have Happier Holidays.) 

That was what I THOUGHT was going to be the theme of the Yoga Community Gathering last weekend, but, as I said at the time, that’s not the class that wanted to be taught. The one that wanted to be taught was about JOY. So I had to follow the thread!

We were inspired by the newsletter from the Center for Action and Contemplation, and the writing of Fr. Richard Rohr about his time in Istanbul:

“I attended the prayer of the Sufi whirling dervishes. Again, in this sacred dance, there was a spinning around a calm and fixed center. In fact, a dervish cannot fake a calm center and survive the prayer. One foot has to be firmly, calmly grounded in a Stable Love or they cannot do the dance…”

I had the pleasure of watching the whirling dervishes in Istanbul as well. It is a truly mesmerizing experience. They have an incredible calm during the outer whirling of the world and their robes, and never seem to get dizzy or lose their balance. And now I also see it’s because of that calm, fixed center. 

Yoga is all about moving towards your calm center. The place of steadiness and ease within and throughout you. The heart has this quality. It is Anahata–unstruck–and it is the place we feel and experience joy. 

I encourage you to spend a little time, every day, focused on your heart center as you breathe deeply and clear your mind. There is joy in this season of magic, wonder, waiting, and light. We just have to remember to keep one foot planted there, in our heart, and we will be planted in our joy, even as the world spins around us. 

And hey! You can give the gift of finding calm in the storm, morning and night, when you give someone, or yourself, my most popular online course, AM/PM: 20 Minute Practices to Start and End Your Day. Check it out! Let me know if you have questions about the process and we'll get you set up.

As you go whirling through this holiday season, may you, too, keep one foot grounded in your calm and joyous center.

Much love