This morning Ron and I spent our breakfast time together trying to predict the future seeding in the Western Conference. It started out innocently enough, looking at the future for our beloved Spurs. But then we felt we also needed to look at the other teams in contention. We debated, we laughed, we joked — we even did math.And while we were looking at the future, we were totally present together.
Yoga's present to you is being present. Even if you're looking forward to what you want, or looking back and reminiscing about what you have already received — when you come onto the yoga mat, you can have a 360 Degree You. You become centered and balanced.
Planning with another person may not change the outcome, but it does change the relationship with the person you're planning with. For us, it was our Spurs winning their way to the top end of the bracket, but it could be anything. It could be planning a trip, one we may never take. Or looking forward to how we'll be enjoying birthdays with our grandchildren. I look toward the future and see how old I'll be when they're out of high school, or out of college. I plan to be present for them.
You can plan and still release your expectations. The outcome doesn't matter, because for us the benefit was happening in our present moment of sharing. It's fun to do with a partner, or a good friend, or anyone of a like mind.
On this morning when lots of people are thinking about basketball, we were sharing hopes and fears. Something as innocent as looking forward to our Spurs winning. It was allowing us to practice for more serious matters than may lie ahead.
It seems that all of life is a practice, isn't it?