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How do we put our practice into action right now?
By putting our practice at the heart of our life. Think about it: the heart is one of the foundations of our bodies. It’s part of our very life force. When we put “heart” into something, we’re giving it our all.
For myself, I’ve realized that there are some precious moments that I have taken for granted. Here’s an example from my personal life: at my house, my partner has planted this really intricate garden. It might actually be more like a jungle. Every day, he spends hours watering, nurturing, talking to, fertilizing, and loving our big ass jungle. And you know what I’ve always said? “This is too much work.”
Then, my partner left town for 7 days. It was on me to take full responsibility for nurturing and loving our many many plants! But I decided to put my whole heart into the work of nurturing what my partner created, and it renewed me. The hours I spent watching the strands of bamboo drink water is magic in action. Listening to the songs of all the different birds that come around is almost as good as any live symphony.
My partner works hard and is diligent about nurturing our garden. That garden turned right back around and nurtured me. Feeling the squish of wet grass beneath my feet was a gentle reminder of our connection to the earth. I was able to lose myself in the moment, connected to something bigger.
When we put our practice at the heart of our lives, when we nurture it and watch it grow, it gifts us with so much more. Our practice has the power to transform us when we put it at the center of our lives. When we treat our practice with the same care as we do our hearts, the benefits unfold off the mat.