Birthing Light

Before we can embody any quality, we must experience and understand its opposite.
Before selflessness is selfishness.
Before mastery is apprenticeship.
Before divine union, we dance with the devil, and until we do that dance we have nothing with which to honor ‘divine union.’ We can’t become ‘it’ until we ain’t it. Part of ‘it’ is the Chironic journey of the wounded healer we all share. It is the road we travel on hands and knees until we can walk, and sometimes, with fortune, we are set lose to fly. But no one flies who has not set roots deeply into the earth. Just as with any flying pose, we can’t move into it until we sink down, holding the power of our roots within.

As another dark passage closes around earth, it is time for us to open different doors for self, and others. For a while, there may only be small cracks of light shining through, so it is important we understand and learn about darkness. Perhaps we shall be blind in our new decisions. Perhaps we will not be able to get off our knees to take the next step. Perhaps fear will lock best intentions into freeze-frames of doubt. This is the devil’s dance. This is the territory we are to master. This is our apprenticeship into true power.

Two extremely difficult axioms come to mind: 1. If we don’t wish things to be different than they are, we won’t suffer quite so much. 2. Only through pain do we change. And clearly, change we must. Therefore let us embrace the darkness, knowing we cannot leave it until it becomes our divine teacher. Let us practice blowing strong, hot breath on tiny flickering flames until they light our way.

Asana: Bakasana/Crane Pose. This is a powerful pose that lifts the mula bandha roots up as you press hands down into the earth to fly. Begin in Down Dog. If you are advanced, jump into the pose, placing knees onto upper arms, tucking tailbone down. If not so advanced, bring feet closer to widely spaced hands, bend knees, tucking them up into the armpits, press feet together, and try lifting them off the floor. Tuck tailbone down as you lift abdominals into high contraction. You can practice with a block under the forehead until courage overcomes fear and you begin to trust your strength to lift off.

Health Notes: Builds strong arms and shoulders, stomach muscles, and courage. In strongly eonnecting to earth, we fly with ease, and with any flying pose there is a great sense of accomplishment from the practice of repeatedly showing up to try, try again.

Ayurvedic Notes: When cold weather shuts in and down, building inner fire through a more demanding Yoga Practice helps stave off depression. Kapha Dosha is what requires balancing. In creating new muscle from a strong physical practice we are more willing to address the wolf at the door, and bodies will be better balanced.

Astrology Notes: Pluto, the planet ruling Scorpio, is dark mistress of the night who prefers to move about unseen. Her power to transform, and/or degenerate, is unmistakable, as are her strong reserves of power. Once in motion, like Kapha energy, she is unstoppable.