understanding your breath
The concept of community is often a myth. Think about it, you are constantly classified into labels that group you with others providing an illusion of unison. Your zip code, your neighborhood, your area code, your college, your high school, your work, your gym membership, and your church and on and on and on. These are your communities, your places of belonging. Yet we still suffer from a lack of interaction at an intimate level. Why?
Because we build barriers between ourselves: roads, fences, your movements, your social groups, your cliques, your rank, your choice of workout-style, and your pew or seat.
How can we blame society for this disconnected feeling when it is our own doing?
I set my map up horizontally today for a change of pace. It's an instructor I have not yet been taught by and I decide to just go with the flow and continue to change things up. My blankets next to both sides of the mat, my bolsters at the front and block standing waiting. As more yogis trickle into the calming environment I recognize how much space I am taking up by turning my mat differently from everyone else. There are no rules about the placement of your mat as the studio encourages complete autonomy with each individual's practice preferences, but I didn't want to intrude on anyone's opportunity to discover whatever they were seeking by attending class today.
So I moved my mat in the same alignment as the others. Not because I am afraid of being different (if you know me you are saying something like "no kidding" or "you don't say"), and I get that. I moved my mat because of the community we create in each and every class. I wanted to share the space around me.
What if we thought about that in our day to day lives? How can I share the space around me? At Starbucks, when someone is obviously looking for an outlet but you have the only table near one with an open chair across from you - invite them to share the space. At the store, when you have 20 items and someone behind you has 1 - invite them to share the space. At church, when you have become so accustomed to the same seat, change to a new one to meet new people - share the space.
Tear down the barriers between you and this world we were meant to share. Share the space.