Butterflies In The Jungle

Butterflies In The Jungle
Mini-Blog Entry from Peru
Written August 25, 2010

One thing I did not expect while traveling through the Amazon Jungles of Peru is the multitude of corful butterflies. Such a surreal scene: extremely tall trees surrounding the narrow beaten paths. The background sounds of birds, crickets, and monkeys. The plethora of mosquitos. The damp mossy ground. Then, the occasional blue large-winged monarch butterfly as if dangling from an invisible string manipulated by some unknown source in the sky.

Learn to expect the unexpected. It is so very easy to get stuck in our everyday routines and schedules. In your home yoga practice today, try a new pose. Instead of your regular routine, experiment with a new yoga posture. Try an easy one just to break your pattern. Or allow today to be the first day to begin teaching yourself a new and more challenging pose.

Start with a few Sun Salutations to find your breath, warm your body, and open your mind. Then move to your new pose. Try one of these if you haven't already:

Crow Pose
Bird of Paradise
Handstand

Don't feel a need to master your new pose on your first try. Take pride in yourself that you gave yourself the permission to try something outside of your comfort zone. You might find that you'll change from a caterpillar into an amazingly brightly colored butterfly. Expect the unexpected.

Namaste