I stumbled upon it innocently, while I was looking for something else, which is how so many of my ill-advised half-baked best ideas (relationships, adventures) begin. I don’t remember what I was originally looking for, because this picture of a woman in firefly pose knocked everything else out of my mind.
I stared, awestruck, at the photo and wondered about the control and core strength that would be necessary to hold the firefly pose. I thought about how many hours and hours and hours must have gone into reaching such a level of mastery. And then I thought… you can’t achieve this without a whole lotta love.
I posted the picture on Facebook, half jokingly suggesting that I should make the firefly pose my fitness goal for 2012. Predictably, people had fun with it. I did too. But some of the people who know me best jumped in to say that if there was anyone who could set a goal like this and do it, it would be me. They were serious; they know that I’m insane rash ridiculous always up to a challenge.
And the truth is, now that the idea has grabbed hold of me, it won’t let me go.
I have a friend who has set herself the goal of attending a Bikram yoga class every day of 2012. Every. Day. That amazes and inspires me. She hasn’t missed a day yet. When she and I talked about her goal, she said that it hasn’t been as hard for her as she expected it to be, that she looks forward to it every day because it’s this thing she’s doing just for her. In fact, sticking to her plan has been harder on other people than it has been on her. I’m not surprised. Passion, purpose and commitment can sometimes be uncomfortable to watch when you’re feeling stuck and uninspired yourself.
So I’m going to try. I’ve found a yoga workout that will get me almost there. It’s only 31 minutes long, but when I tried it Friday, it Kicked. My. Ass. I was sweating, breathing hard, working my body in whole new ways. There were times I couldn’t go on. I laid on my mat and watched the beautiful woman in the Yoga Journal video finish reps I didn’t have in me. I welcomed the 2-minute Shavasana (corpse pose) at the end. I closed my eyes and thought this: I am not strong enough.
Yet.
And here’s the thing. It’s not important whether I can actually do the firefly pose at the end of the year. I don’t know if I’ll be able to, but I do know that the act of trying will be a transformative experience. My friend said she knows her daily Bikram yoga practice will make her stronger, “not just physically.” She’s right, of course, and in the act of choosing to do it for herself, she is choosing love. Again and again. Every day.
So am I.
… How about you?
~~~~~~~~~~
In other news…
My friend Karen Dalton Beninato posted her husband’s song Love is Love on HuffPo, and I’ve been saving it to show you on Valentine’s Day Eve. Watch the video. It will melt you and make you smile and make you want to find someone kissable. Immediately.
Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all.
xoxo
p.s. I’ll be meeting the real, live Sugar from The Rumpus on Valentine’s Day. And then writing about it for Used Furniture Review! Stay tuned.
This so speaks to my heart. I’m a daily yoga practitioner…and now doing a teacher training. And – it really isn’t (for me) about getting myself into that beautiful..strong..brave firefly pose..or even ‘teaching’ But it is about who I’m becoming along the way. Yes – that’s love!
Exactly! xo
I am not strong enough.
Yet.
this words are all we need to see that walking forward
is what we are meant to do
taking on my own challenge of a physical change
http://pinterest.com/pin/207939707764728238/
it says it all
keep going ♥
thanks for the song.. will have to find someone to kiss today as the dog really hates it when I do it to him.. he makes his WTF face at me LOL
waving each other on :~)
Oh ya! See, that’s the type of pin I was talking about! I need to print some of them out and plaster them on my refrigerator. And pantry. And computer. And…
LOVE that Pinterest post! Thank you! (Reassurance, as my arms, shaky from the workout, struggle to stay in the typing position.)
You’re welcome for the musical offering! I love the song, and it’s even better when you watch the video. I’ve never been a big Valentine’s Day person, but I’m getting more into the spirit of it this year.
Well you know I’ve done a few rounds of Insanity. That kicks your ass all over town, but I’m in the best shape of my life at 42. Interestingly enough, Pinterest has been amazing for my motivation (which I lack every day at 5am)…just surfing there for 2 minutes and images like the one you posted, and tons of motivational quotes hit you right in the face. And make you…er…me…think twice about having that left over cupcake for breakfast. You’ll get there!
I love “I’ve done a few rounds of insanity.” <3
Yes, I actually thought of you when I decided to do this. I know where to go if I need inspiration. (Feel free to send Pinterest postings, since I am not a member.)
I got so excited when I saw that you had written a new post. And then I got even more excited when I “heard” in your words YOUR excitement about the firefly pose. I remember when you posted that photo. I loved it! You know me. I’m all about setting goals, and achieving them. I got goosebumps when I read about the friend of yours who is going to Bikram’s every day for a year! HOLY MOLY! I used to do Bikram’s yoga. For a year and A half I went, 4x a week or more. Never every day. Not in a million. Now I can’t even fathom going for a class. That is quite the commitment. Wow! And you? Well I KNOW you can do it! Because you’re awesome. Joel Runyon over at Blog of Impossible THings, he had set a goal to do 100 pushups in one go, and he video taped himself doing it..and failed reaching that goal, but he’d get to 65 or I think the most he got was 71…but seriously..in a row! Holy hell! Judy. You are awesome. That is all. xo OH and oh my word! THANK YOU for sharing that video! That made me happier than..well it doesn’t matter than what…it just made me happy. xoxoxo
I like the Joel Runyon story. It reminds me not to get too hung up on the end result… something I struggle with all the time. Thank you for the vote of confidence; it makes me more determined to stay with it, wherever it leads.
I really like that you are taking on a challenge and committing to doing something for the journey. I’m just not sure why you are calling it choosing love.
Maybe you’re talking about embracing the journey — your passion?
Of course, part of the problem with our language is it has one word — love — that has so many different meanings.
I just don’t understand how your commitment to achieving a yoga position fits in with your wanting to be a love warrior.
Thanks for asking! I have two answers. First, I think there is a tremendous amount of love inherent in the mastery of things. It might be semantics, and you might call it something else – the thing that drives a great musician to practice his/her instrument, what makes poets and writers and painters devote hours to learning, honing, refining their craft, the painstaking way that photographers will set up their shot – the light and shadows and color and balance just so. To me, there’s no question that they are all driven by love of the thing they do.
I feel that way about yoga. I’ve been serious about fitness since I was a teenager, but no workout or sport I’ve tried has ever made me feel the way yoga does, like I’m diving into myself. In yoga, at least for me, it is never just about the pose, because every pose involves breath, discipline, the synergy of mind and body and spirit. (Not that that’s required for love, it’s just an explanation of my own feelings about it.)
So, there’s the love of the thing itself – doing what you’re passionate about, and then there’s the self-love inherent in setting what is, essentially, a “selfish” goal. My friend said it best when she said that every day she goes to her Bikram yoga class, she feels as if she’s doing something just for her. I couldn’t write a better definition for self-love. And if there’s one thing that the last year has taught me, it’s that all love begins with self-love, everything else comes from that.
p.s. I just reread your comment, and your phrase “committing to doing something for the journey” to me is all about love. I suspect you’re right, though. Love is just one word and it’s meant to encompass too many things, leaving us all to argue semantics. Kind of like the word “art.”
I can already see you rockin’ this pose…
I love that an image inspired this kick-ass goal. Oh! What an inspiration you are.
Happy love day eve, J.
Awww, thank you, Julia! I did the workout again today. I have a long way to go. But in the second that I wanted to lie down but instead did three more Chaturanga Dandasan pushups, I knew this journey is one I need to take.
xo
Your goal of Firefly pose, and all the yoga that would lead up to it, reminded me of a book by a favorite author of mine. It is Hatha Yoga: The Hidden Language by Swami Sivananda Radha, in which she explores the symbolic nature of the classic hatha yoga poses. http://www.amazon.com/Hatha-Yoga-Language-Symbols-Metaphors/dp/1932018131/ I don’t see Firefly among them, but Bakasana, the Crane, comes close. I mention this because I know that with you, something like this will be more than just a physical challenge (formidable as that is) and you will want to query yourself about what the “Firefly” means to you, why it attracts you, to get the most out of moving toward it. Best wishes, and yes, savor those savasanas! :)
Oh, Lucy, how I adore you! I decided over the weekend that gracefully getting into and out of the crane pose is a good intermediate goal (and a fine end result if that’s how it goes). I’ll definitely check out The Hidden Language. I recently read The Path of The Yoga Sutras to learn more about yoga, beyond the asanas.
You know me so well.
So much to love about this! I “stumble upon” my most expansive experiences also:) I always know with great certainty when I am just beginning one.
I practice unfolding in life. About eight months ago, I began my first long distance relationship ever, and through that learned the process of commitment to daily presence through discomfort.
This commitment was to me to my daily presence of showing up through discomfort regardless of his choices; through this I learned so much about my self and about practice and follow through and the journey in general.
When I open my heart, my entire life reaps the benefit…as you have experienced in your life and will experience with the yoga exploration. Becoming big love, that is what I call it:)
“When I open my heart, my entire life reaps the benefit.” Yes, me too. Even though, sometimes in the short term, it hurts like hell.
I like “becoming big love.”
Looking at that photo makes me think the next step would be running away to join Cirque du Soleil. (Which could be cool, but the reality show about Cirque indicated that a large proportion of their performers are smokers. Problem.)
Ok, enough goofing around.
It’s an ambitious goal, and I’m confident you will work toward it with great focus and attention. I’ll cheer you on!
Yeah, that would be a problem. I’ll just remain a solo act. :)
Loving ourselves first is the best gift we can give everyone around us.
Even if it’s harder on everyone else than it is on us, it’s something we need to do. I love this, j, and thank you for the reminder!
Happy Valentine’s Day *kisses*
I agree. And it’s amazingly easier to love others when your own well is full.
Belated thank you for the Valentine’s wish! My Valentine’s was great. I hope yours was too!
Hi J,
I love Shavasana at the end of yoga. So relaxing. Sometimes i just want to stay and nap on the floor for the rest of the morning. That’s self-love! To take a nice leisurely break from the activities.
Speaking of activities, as an act of self-love and self-adventure, I decided to do something really BIG. I biked across Italy. It was way bigger than I expected but my body, my mind and my soul rose to the occasion.
We can do most anything we LOVE ourselves to do!
Thanks, G.
It’s funny that you mention Shavasana specifically, because I SUCK at it! I get antsy and fidgety, my mine won’t lie still. But I’ve done this workout 3 times now and every time, by the end, I’m beat. I willingly surrender to the magic of Shavasana… a pose I’ve never fully appreciated until now.
When did you bike across Italy! That’s amazing and wonderful and I’m so jealous!
Thank you back,
j
You are a firefly! :-)
Love the video!
Have fun with Sugar, tell her I said “thank you!”. Can’t wait to read your interview.
Happy LOVE day!
Awww. Thank you, jb! My piece on Sugar’s coming out should be up tomorrow! I hope you had a happy Valentine’s Day!
Nice. You managed an unpretentious yoga post without swearing to self-deprecate. You’re way out of my league, just sayin’.
I totally applaud your chutzpah. My lofty goal is to work my bad hip into form so I can sit cross-legged comfortably. That’s all (for now). I’d challenge you to a race, but that would be competitive, and I don’t much believe in the competition thing. Also, I don’t like losing, but that has nothing to do with it this time. :)
Ha! You might win on this one, but we’re doing this for love, baby, not to win.
Hip flexors are apprently a big deal with my goal, so I’m working on mine too. We’re practically twins.
You’d be the twin with hair, yeah? ;)
Hey Judy,just wanted to let you know that I have a new, POST valentines day post…it’s about love, of course! I’d love to have you take a look:
blatherbabe.wordpress.com
Thanks!
Read it, and found it delightful! Thank you for sharing it with me!
Yes, you are the one to take this, and any challenge, and rise to the occasion. It will be great to see what comes from it, and how many positions, not just yoga, but life positions will be achieved.
“Passion, purpose and commitment can sometimes be uncomfortable to watch when you’re feeling stuck and uninspired yourself”… so true, and so true of me right now, but one thing I love, is that inspiration can also come through watching people take those challenging leaps.
So, thank you for leaping again, and giving us a platform to do the same.
Thank you back, TPM! You are the wind beneath my firefly wings, sweetheart! <3
Nothing like a yoga dream to drag me out of my shell to comment. I’m sure that you can do it, one day. For me there is that moment when I see a posture and I just know that one day it will happen. Sometimes one day is the next day for something I thought would take a year, sometimes it is years for something I thought would take a day. You spoke to me when you talked about the posture taking a whole lot of love. To me you touched at the essence of why I compete in yoga competitions. In two weeks, the national competition will be in NY and I am once again lucky enough to share the stage with an amazing group of people who share their life through their postures in only three minutes. The best glow with equal balance of strength and ease. The event will be streamed live at usayoga.org. The energy doesn’t always convey over video, but perhaps it can serve as a bit of inspiration. What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve.