I had the good fortune to meet a number of great yogis while teaching recently in Byron Bay, NSW. One of them, Jenny Beer, put me on to an “affirmation” she uses for nights when sleep is elusive or broken. I love the words and intent of this affirmation. It reminds me of some of the yoga teaching “mission statements” that the trainees I instructed at Nature Care College in Sydney wrote to help steer them in their new careers. The statements were so heartfelt and captured the essence of the trainees’ passion for yoga that I was always inspired and impressed. Jenny says she was inspired herself by the Co-founder of DailyOM, Madisyn Taylor.
Sweet Dreams At the end of my day as the sweet, dark stillness of night beckons me to lie down and rest, I find myself at a clear transition point. Behind me lies the previous day and all that has come before. Ahead of me, dawn heralds the unfolding of all that is yet to be. Night-time is the perfect chance for self-appreciation and blessing. Before I go to sleep tonight I send gratitude, compassion and healing to the being I have been up until this moment. Then, I send lightness and love into the future for the one I am in the process of becoming. I honour my journey thus far and am open to the wonderful possibilities still ahead. As I consciously engage with my own evolution, my sleep gets sweeter, filling my night with a deeper sense of trust and relaxation. As I rest, I surrender to these peaceful hours, knowing that the road behind has been seen and acknowledged with respect and kindness, while the path ahead now holds my own benevolence and good wishes. This empowers me as the only one who can determine the meaning of my own past and hopes for the future. I orient myself on my path of growing. This allows me to let the past have its place, to trust that the future is taken care of, and to simply rest in the graceful arms of the present moment.
What could be better yoga practice than resting “in the graceful arms of the present moment?
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