Last night, a friend invited me to a yoga class taught by her friend, in a beautiful East Village loft. There were only eight of us practicing and I was very nervous as I have not been practicing yoga for nearly as long {or as consistently} as anyone else in the space. The practice ran on for an hour and forty minutes {yes, you read that correctly} until nearly ten pm. I was dead. At the end though, our instructor read this poem. I don’t usually share poetry here, but I though that it was something really beautiful that each of you could benefit from, too… and so here goes… I’m sharing it here with you. I hope you love it as much as I did.
The Invitation by Oriah
It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, ‘Yes.’
It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
I love this so much. Needed to read something like this – so glad you shared!
Wow…this is so very beautiful. I think I’ve re-read it at least 20 times since you posted it, always pulling something new out of the prose. What a great reminder to be open to all of life’s possibilities. Thanks for sharing!
The last line is really something. I love it.
namaste.
Beautiful
Xo,
Belen
http://blog.androbel.com
I love the last line. Sometimes I think we want to go, to travel, to see something new, without realizing that we take ourselves with us. It’s an important question- do you truly like the company you keep in empty moments? Great food for thought.
Thanks!
xx- Lynn-Holly from The Attic
ThreeSistersAttic.blogspot.com
How truly inspiring and lovely! Thank you for sharing! Namaste!
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
That is so beautiful! I am so happy you took the chance to go to Yoga – I am currently in the middle of my yoga teacher training and the number one reason I wanted to teach was to create a space where EVERYONE feels comfortable coming in and practicing yoga not just those who can get into crazy positions. Yoga is a practice so where you are is exactly where you’re meant to be! Thanks for sharing the poem – I am going to print and put on my wall!
So good to get out of your comfort zone- good job!! Thank you for sharing!
Rhonda
http://www.theskinnyarm.com
LOVE <3 You have shown so much courage this year Grace. I think this poem is about you 🙂
I’m utterly speechless. Needed this tonight. xoxo
This was truly inspiriting and just what I needed to finish a rough day in a string of rough days. Thank you for sharing!
Just what the universe ordered! Thank you for sharing, and for always being yourself! xo
Very beautiful! THANKs for sharing.
this is really beautiful, grace! yoga can be so good for the body + mind, i just love it.
This is perfect, thought-provoking, stirring – thank you for sharing. I’ve been reading your blog for a little while, and think it’s amazing that you are so positive whilst also so honest about how things can be tough sometimes.You should be very proud of yourself 🙂
What beautiful words. Thanks for sharing this.
XO,
Gina
http://www.popcornandpandas.com