This one wild and precious life

One of my favorite quotes is by Mary Oliver, who poses, in her poem 'The Summer Day,' the question:

"Tell me, what is is you plan to do with this one wild and precious life?"

I love it. It inspires me, makes me reach...and adds a  touch of pressure to 'get it right' !

There are moments in my life where I have felt so connected and expansive and full that everything I ever dreamt of doing feels possible and within my reach.   There are also those daunting moments where I have felt so contracted and small that stepping out of the front door seemed beyond me. 

I have noticed lately that those moments of feeling scared and small are taking more of a back seat in my life. When fear comes knocking on the door of my psyche, I am more likely to recognise it as the old familiar friend that it is and sit with it for a while, even when it feels really uncomfortable. When I can hold space for myself with tenderness through a fearful moment, I am less likely to be swept away in a tidal wave of emotion that affects not only me, but everyone around me. As a result, there is a lot less drama in my life.  I have more energy to focus on what I do want, rather than what  I fear might happen. 

My yoga practice has helped me to recognize when I lose my center, when I am moving away from love and into fear. I know from experience that when I am centered, open and present,  I am living from my heart, from a place of love. I know that I can access creativity and higher wisdom when I am open and present in this moment; not stuck in my head, fretting about what might happen tomorrow or what happened earlier this morning. 

So, what will I do with this one wild and precious life?  

I am aspiring to live it fully; one precious moment at a time.

---