Nothing has felt more sacred than practicing restorative yoga for an hour followed by eleven hours of solid rest! Awakening to a brand new day, I felt well-rested and fully alive. I awoke this morning to a gorgeous, clear blue, Carolina sky and I felt energized to go deeper inside and  to enjoy my life through the presence of the creator.

As I sipped my chai tea and gazed out the window, I felt the itch to put my yoga clothes on, gather my mat and head outdoors for some asana and reflection. There is a little woodsy area behind my neighboring building that sits by a creek where water flows, the sun beams down, birds sing and plant life falls from the trees. This is a perfect spot for solitude, yoga and tuning into nature.

I also have this really awesome yoga book called HEART YOGA: The Sacred Marriage of Yoga And Mysticism by Andrew Harvey & Karuna Erickson. This book is “an inspirational and passionate guide recognizing modern-day yogis as mystics on the mat…a timely book affirming that the sacred practice of yoga is a journey of personal illumination…and the inevitable understanding that it is love and action that can transform this planet from one of fear and separation into one united by love, truth, and God.” ~Harvey & Erickson

The reason why I am mentioning this book is because it consists of five mystical practices. The Joy of Transcendence, The Joy of Creation, The Joy of Love for All Beings, The Joy of Tantra and lastly, The Joy of Service. Today my intention was to be outside with nature and to feel the joy of creation. I followed The Joy of Creation sequence with the intention to connect with all living things while feeling the essence of the practice within my mind, body and soul.

What an amazing journey! My soul whispered to me feelings of joy as I contorted into each asana. The beauty of creation reflected back to me as I stood tall in tree pose while gazing down at the root of a tree. Plant life fell on my shoulders, bugs crawled up my arms and legs as prana moved smoothly and freely through my whole being. Pushing back into downward dog, I could hear a dog barking in a yard nearby and as I stood in eagle pose, I could hear birds singing. This practice felt like a poetic dance in Gods Kingdom.

Rumi wrote, “Adore and love the Beloved, with your whole being, and the Beloved will reveal to you that each thing in the universe is a vessel full to the brim with wisdom and beauty. The Beloved will show you that each thing is one drop from the boundless river of infinite beauty.”

As I laid in corpse pose, I could feel the ground beneath me as it supported me with each breath. My belly rose on the inhale and fell on the exhale. My soul whispered poetic verses from my own ancient places that exist within my being.

I bow to the divine in all of creation and thank each living soul for being a part of this sacred journey.

NAMASTE!

Do you want to practice this sequence? Here it is:

Yoga Practice Sequence to Celebrate the Joy of Creation

* Child’s Pose

* Cat/Cow Pose

* Downward-facing Dog Pose

* Mountain Pose

* Tree Pose

* Triangle Pose

* Standing Forward Bend

* Eagle Pose

* Sun Salutations

* Squatting Pose

* Sphinx Pose

* Cobra Pose

* Downward-facing Dog Pose

* Cross-legged Sitting

* Corpse Pose