When it is time to do balance poses in yoga class, there are generally sighs, moans and quiet grumbles heard around the room. Balance is hard - it makes us uncomfortable, it forces awareness of our weaknesses. It is human nature to shy away from highlighting our weaknesses and instead embrace our strengths. However, when we set our intention on challenging our weaknesses, what an incredible elation we feel when we are victorious!
A successful balance posture requires both drishti and breath. In yoga drishti is a focused gaze, it is meant for developing concentrated intention. When teaching a balance posture, I instruct students to "find a drishti" and set their gaze. The idea is to concentrate - to allow your gaze to rest on a focal point - drishti - and relax into the posture. Concentrate and relax - seems like a paradox. To concentrate is to focus mental effort on a particular activity or object; to relax is to rest, to become less rigid to ease. When doing a balance posture, it is important to fix your gaze and allow your breath to become deep and smooth. Balance postures develop a quiet strength; regulating breath helps to maintain focus (while feeding the body with oxygen).
I find it fascinating that the etymology of respiration is "spirit." The Spirit gives us life. Just as we need to breathe in life-giving oxygen; we need to deeply breathe in the breath of God. To inspire is to "fill with the ability to do or feel something." 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness."
Jesus is my drishti - day by day it is necessary to remind myself of a verse from Hebrews: "fix your eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith..." I need concentrated intention to follow my Lord and yet I also need to relax in His care. The world is constantly bombarding us with distractions that vie for our attention. So often, I'm like Peter walking on that stormy sea towards Jesus and I lose my focus, allowing the wind and the waves to frighten me. Did you notice that when you are most anxious you tend to hold or shorten your breath? In those shaky moments in a balance pose when your body is quivering and sweat is rolling down your brow, finding drishti and regulating your breath are key to overcoming the body's fear and relaxing into the effort. This is true in facing the challenges of life. HE is the author (the creator, the one with the script) and perfector (finisher, completer). We must fix our gaze on Him, breathe deeply of His word, and rest in the knowledge that He who began a good work in us will indeed complete it.
The full verse I quoted from Hebrews states, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." He endured so very much for our sake. While building strength is part of a yoga balance, in life we don't have to rely on our physical condition - the joy of the Lord is our strength. The trials and tribulations we face are to life what those shaky, weak tremblings in a yoga balance are. We must accept them but know that they are building our trust, strengthening our faith. If you want victory in a balance posture: focus and breathe. If you want victory in overcoming the challenges of sin and to stand firm in the trials of this world: Jesus must be your drishti and the breath you breathe. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" Colossians 3:2-3
Be salt and light.
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