Awakening

The first day of a new year arrives, and I take myself on a long, quiet walk.

It’s a tradition I’ve observed for the past 13 years or so, during which time I’ve lived in Los Angeles, New York City and the Bay Area. I have memories of January firsts spent huffing my way up to the wisdom tree in Griffith Park, winding through the Lower East Side, and breathing with the trees in Muir Woods.

This year I walked a long flat trail in Berkeley’s Wildcat Canyon, dodging mud puddles and thinking about impermanence.

For the first half of the walk, I felt present and relatively equanimous. It was chilly out, and I was grateful for my hat and warm jacket pockets. I paused at intervals to take in the sound of bird songs warbling up from the creek and peer at massive amanitas blossoming through drenched soil. Ah, what a nice, good practice this is to enjoy a nature walk on the first of the year. Yay for me.

When I turned to start my journey back, something shifted. A light rain began to fall. My toes, I noticed, felt numb from cold. I started dreaming of the warm cup of cacao I’d hold in my hands soon…when I got home….when I got back to my car….when the walk was over. How far did I walk? Ugh. I want this to be over now.

When we start to really practice becoming present, it doesn’t take long to notice how twisty and turny life is. That special bowl we cherished falls and becomes a pile of jagged pieces on the kitchen floor. That relationship we thought we’d never have suddenly emerges in the form of a complete, messy, beloved human sitting across the table from us.

In even a simple, 10-minute seated meditation, it’s amazing how many different thoughts, emotions and physical sensations we experience - without going anywhere!

This is true in the best of times, in the worst of times, and in all times in between. It’s the truth, the way of nature. And it might be a comfort or it might feel scary, but nevertheless…

My friends, from the bottom of my heart, I want to tell you that there can be a deep sense of peace and even joy that comes from opening our hearts to the truth of impermanence. One simple and immediate way to tap into this is to notice what you’re feeling right now (comfortable, annoyed, bored, tired, angry) and consider that at this very minute, there are others who are feeling the same way. We are all connected. You are not alone.

For the month of January, my yoga classes are exploring how we cultivate bodhichitta - the awakening heart. These are practices that not only help us cope and stay present with the shifting nature of life, but also expand our capacity to experience real love, joy and peace.

As Pema Chodron writes: “Bodhichitta…will inspire and support us in good times and bad. It is like discovering a wisdom and courage we do not even know we have. Just as alchemy changes any metal into gold, bodhichitta can, if we let it, transform any activity, word or thought into a vehicle for awakening compassion.”

In good times and bad… I’ll see you on the mat, friends.