Layers

On Sunday mornings I love to do yoga online with one of my teachers MC Yogi and his lovely wife Amanda, of Point Reyes Yoga. His voice is so soothing, the playlist is always a delight, and I love the metaphors he uses for the yoga practice. He always has a fun flow and talks about body and the mind in a way that is visual and meditative. Sitting quietly, slowing down the breath, observing, accepting… the breath is calm. Letting that oceanic wave flow over all the porous body and mind, a big invisible river flowing through, long smooth exhales, feeling the entire ocean in the body, breathing the entire sky into the mind, the brain like a flower softening and blooming underwater, waves of relaxation through the nervous system, that iridescent web, softness in around the brain. Breath through all those layers, allowing the body to be more clear, more transparent.

In this state of calmness and bliss, I think about the layers of mind, the layers of the self, layers upon layers that comprise life. Breaking it down to be more simple, I can express these thoughts of layers with watercolor. The perfect medium, to layer transparent color upon color, being able to see through to what lies beneath. I love the idea how I can relate these ideas from a yoga practice into my painting. To understand what is concealed and what is revealed by the layers of the process.

Humans have a yearning or clarity and direction. Yoga is one of those paths that help us have a better understanding. It is a spiritual practice that helps us to change and grow into better people. Yoga is the study of balance and balance is the aim for our life. Each time we come to the mat, we have an opportunity to understand deeply our body, mind and breath. IT becomes a symphony established on the mat, which also becomes established in our lives.

Id like to take this metaphor of a yoga practice, the yoga mat we begin to study the self and make ourselves even better, and apply it to the practice of painting. We come to a blank page and all the colors laid out in front of us. One choice at a time, one movement after the other, flowing with grace and joy, the painting has begun, one breath at a time. We strive to make a beautiful painting filled of layer upon layer of experience and wisdom. Allowing the flow of the oceanic wave flow over the entire surface of the pours paper with color and line.

A Hopi Native American once said, “There is a river flowing now, very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold onto the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and suffer greatly. Know that the river has no destination. The elders say we must push it off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open and heads above water. See who is there with you and celebrate. At this time in history we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves, for the moment what do that, our spiritual growth comes to a halt. The time of the Lonewolf is over. Gather yourselves; banish the word “struggle” from your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred way and in celebration. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

Now go to your mat or go to your paper and push off from there.

Reference: Meditations from the Mat, Daily Reflections on the path of yoga by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison

Point Reyes Yoga with MC Yogi, www.pointreyesyoga.com