As Dubai’s temperatures continue to rise, along with the notion of cranking up the AC again, the thought of freezing climates probably seem far off the radar. For Lisa, however, that’s the reality she’s been dealing with for the past few months. While in the Middle East, Dubai yogis roll out their mats on the beach or in the park, Lisa shares her insight into what winter across in the snowy Midwest has taught her about her practice…
Spring is just around the corner. I’m sure of it. I saw a robin yesterday, and she told me so. But here in Kansas City, where I’m currently living, we’ve had a tough go of winter with big snows and near-Arctic temperatures; it snowed again just yesterday!
As I no longer reside in Dubai, but in Middle America, winter is part of life. I may not like it when temperatures hover below 32° Fahrenheit, (that’s 0° Celsius to many of you!) but I have to make peace with it. As we approach the second half of March with a dusting of the white stuff on the ground, I’m resolving to consider winter as part of my practice, like doing my asana or sitting on my meditation cushion. I can’t fight it so why not embrace it? Every time I pull on my big long down coat and don my hat to head out into the sharp air with my dog, Oscar, I’m observing my breath and my thoughts and realizing this is simply part of my yoga.
Yoga isn’t about accomplishing complicated postures on your mat, standing on your hands or putting your feet behind your head. There is so much more to this sacred practice. Yoga can help us through the freezing temperatures of a lingering winter as well as the tough times in our lives; and it teaches us, that like everything, winter will pass. We simply have to do the practice.
2 Comments
As a fellow Midwesterner & neighbor to Lisa, I experience those same temperatures. I try to find my favorite part of each season & focus on that. Not sure if you experience this in a continually warm climate, but I seem to get down a bit in March. Not sure why, I am eagerly awaiting new grass chutes, clovers, birds singing, trees budding, the smell of flowers, thunderstorms, shorts, sandals, & sun dresses(not worn by me)! Could be the large temperature swings from day to day, or something else. Focusing on my gratitude, breath, & the knowledge that even though it’s 30 degrees F this morning, ‘it is spring’. The radiation from the sun takes some of the sting out of those lower temps, birds are still mating & nesting, rebirth is here!!! For this I am grateful for the privilege to observe, again! You have a blessed day wherever you are located. Shanti, TimG
Hi Tim, so lovely to hear your thoughts on this. You know, when I look at images like this one of Lisa in the snow with Oscar, it really does make me miss the proper seasons and the Irish ‘sunshine!’ While I never take the Dubai weather for granted and how lovely it is to wake up to blue skies most days, I do sometimes yearn to feel the changes, and not just the move from warm to dusty, hot then hotter! I love that thought about focussing on the best of what we have, and our yoga is definitely the perfect place to do that! Thank you for sharing. Sending you some warmth from Dubai! Cheryl