What A Glorious Day!

I went to bed before eight last night. Yesterday I was off. I was tired, a bit cranky. I had a lot of ups and downs. I felt unwell, an unwell reminscent of when I was ill. This frightened me. At 6pm I wished it were 8pm so bedtime didn't seem so odd. I watched a few comedies and at 7:30pm I prepared for bed. I went to sleep knowing that today would be a better day.
Due to my early bedtime an early rise was inevitable. I awoke about 4:30am. I put my eye pillow over my eyes and breathed deep for 100 breaths. I figured this would either send me off to sleep or better prepare my day. As I lay there I thought about doing an early morning practice in my living room, maybe some candles or a fire burning. When I removed my eye pillow it was still pitch black in the bedroom and I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Alas, my husband began to snore and I thought, practice it is!
I tiptoed around the house, both to give my husband the space to sleep but also to keep the house to myself for as long as I could. I lit some candles and made a fire. What a gift to practice fireside in a dark room. I breathed deep ujjayi breath and sparked my own fire as I listened to the wood crackle. Every so often I took a peak at the fire and was soon captured enough by it's beauty that I would pause my moving practice and simply stare and smile.
After some poses close to the floor I stepped into my first lunge. As I reached my arms overhead, Voila! The sky was lit up pink as the sun began to rise. How luck am I? That is all i could think. Smiling, breathing, taking in the colors of the sky, the sound of the fire, the cool air by my fingers above and the warmth of the fire on my toes below. It surely doesn't get better than this. Simplicity at its fullest.
I talked a lot this week about mindfulness practice. Earlier in the week I read a great quote: "Mindfulness isn't difficult. What's difficult is to remember to be mindful." (I highly suggest reading the article this quote appears in http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-work/200910/the-neuroscience-mindfulness)
The article talks about truly taking everything in, eyes open, senses aware, enjoying it all. I did this as I practiced this morning. I didn't practice the most difficult poses but I practiced with every sense involved. I would break from movement, add a log, watch the colors shift. I thought of my practice as a reflection of this fire, a nice bed of embers maintining my awareness and the layers of breath and movement keeping the flames excited. My heart was excited. My mind calm. My body at ease. I practiced for a while, even as my husband awoke and shared the room with me. I took his presence in as much as the fire, mindfully, aware, with a greater sense of gratitude.
I finally sat to close practice. As I sat in agnistambhasana I realized I was in firelog pose. How appropo. I decided to close with this posture. A fine ending I thought. Next I settled in to a comfortable seat. Eyes open I watched the fire. Suddenly I am warmed from a glow beyond. I look to my left and out the window is the sun rising above the trees, perfectly aligned with the seat I took in front of the fire. It just keeps getting better. Simple. Beautiful. Quiet. The words, "I am at peace," came to mind and I made this my mantra. I repeated it over and over not knowing if I was more warmed by the words or the sun or the fire. I was being cradled by warmth, a deep knowing that everything is ok, that I really am at peace. The sun seemed to bounce with glory and happiness inside of it's glowing rim. I have never seen the sun dance but I am now convinced it does and with great pride.
My husband noticed me staring out the window and came to see the sun. He asked if I was praying to the sun for good health. I just smiled. He gets me. I break from "I am at peace" for one moment and again repeat to myself, How lucky am I? He stays near, suddenly moved to rearange some books on the shelves, clean up the dining room table from the night before. I am not disturbed. I am mindful. I am grateful.
I am entranced by the mantra, the fire, the sun. I could've sat there all day. Instead I say for a few more minutes. With great gratitude I thanked God for this glorious day.
I was reminded of some simple lessons this morning: Carve out a special space to practice. Keep it simple. Smile. Breathe deep. Have Gratitude. Be Mindful. Take It All In.