Have you ever said or done something that you weren't pleased about and then promptly asked yourself, "Who was that?" leading to "Who am I?" We've all disappointed ourselves and others at some point in the heat of life's battles. The good news is that we are not a finished product yet. As in the story of The Velveteen Rabbit, we're all in the process of becoming something. It has been said that we become what we love. As water takes the shape of its container, so the mind is transformed into the likeness of whatever it is contemplating at the moment. The clear message is, "Be careful what or who you admire and think about on a regular basis." But the real question evolves into, "Who or what do you want to become?" Do you want to be a higher version of yourself or a brand new creature in Christ?
It's very difficult to consistently respond to life challenges from the place called our "higher self." As a Christian I know that my "higher self" is only in control when I give the reigns to Christ every waking moment in an effort to become a Christ-controlled person. Like any great work, the process of becoming Christ-like takes a lifetime to accomplish! We may decide to dedicate our life to Christ in an instant, but the actual yoking to His Holy Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis requires an ongoing and immediate yielding of our responses as they are occurring.
This week in honor of the animal which represents our "higher self" in India, we'll practice the yoga posture called "Elephant Pose" as we attempt to connect to the "higher self" through our moment-by-moment yielding to God's Holy Spirit. If the transformation seems slow and frustrating, it helps to remember that God will never give up on us! (This variation called "Elephant Pose" is not to be confused with the more challenging "Elephant Trunk Pose", which will be targeted next week.)
- Physically---First, take time to warm the muscles and joints with several rounds of breath-synchronized "Salutations to the Son" as described in the April 27th through May 11th, 2009 blogs. Transition from "Downward-Facing Dog" to "Elephant Pose" by walking the hands back toward the feet into the "Standing Forward Fold" called Uttanasana. Then inhale deeply as both arms sweep out to the sides and the torso lifts up into the "Upward Salute" called Urdhva Hastasana. With a long and slow exhalation, step the feet out slightly wider than hip-width and release the elbows to shoulder-height, pressing the elbows together at the end of the exhalation. Allow the tips of the thumbs to rest between the eyebrows with a "Third-Eye" gaze point or naitrayoh ma dyai drishti. softly closing the eyes at least 2/3 of the way to shut out visual distractions. With each inhalation ground powerfully into all four corners of each foot while extending up through the spine into the crown of the head. During the exhalations encourage the bottom tips of the shoulder blades to tuck in and down while pressing the tailbone down toward the floor as the bended knees align over the toes. Remain grounded in "Elephant Pose" for 8-10 smooth ujjayi breaths while experiencing the hips and thighs building heat and strength. Finish your practice with 5-10 minutes in the restorative "Corpse Pose" described in the January 24, 2009 blog.
- Mentally---While the mind is fixed on the rhythm and quality of each deep and thorough breath, and the gaze is "Third-Eye", focus on the source of each life-giving breath.
- Spiritually---To add the third and spiritual dimension to your physical yoga practice, while holding the physical posture of "Elephant Pose" let the index fingers of your hands point up toward the source of your "higher self." Become mindfully aware of God's promise to finish the good work which He began the moment you first believed that God sent His only begotten Son to die in your place. It may help to memorize and think on the promise found in the first chapter of Philippians, verse 6:
