by Janet Arnold-Grych
It’s easy to think that Kripalu isn’t representative of “real life.” Many of us are able to leave responsibility at the door when we come here, and find an ease that eludes our minds and muscles when we’re back home, in the unceasing flow of schedules and to-do lists. But when I was at Kripalu for his program, the marvelous poet and author David Whyte challenged the idea that here and there are separate worlds.
David asserts that we can bring more of that openness and ease into our lives every day with a bit of song, poetry, yoga, time alone. To define “real life” as the absence of wonder and discovery and lightness is to define ourselves as at the mercy of circumstance.
Yes, back home, people depend on us; tasks await our activity. Lots of tasks. Lately, I joke that it’s not about keeping all the plates spinning, it’s about wondering which ones will hit first, and how hard. A side effect of rapid-fire responsibilities, in addition to chronic stress, is that they can cause us to reduce each interaction and activity to a box that needs to be checked off. Narrowing our vision in that way might provide a sense of control, but it’s also myopic—and boring.
Yoga teaches us that it’s all about intention. Things like sparkling poetry, peaceful solitude, and the unbelievable beauty of fallen leaves allow us to give color, shape, and form to the intention around how we want to meet life. Resources like nature, art, and meditation open us to a broader landscape. They present a harmony that reminds us there is more, that we are more. We still complete our responsibilities, but perhaps with a fuller heart, a more resilient spirit, and a more creative mind.
When I find myself balking at the idea that I don’t have time for these “extra” things, I recall a story from a friend who was a wellness counselor. Her clients would sometimes tell her that they didn’t have time to exercise. She’d reply, “That’s okay, then you’ll have time for a heart attack.” Glib, but often effective. I don’t mean to imply that not integrating poetry into a daily routine leads to cardiovascular disease. I do want to remind myself that I can find the time if it’s important to me.
Filling my cup with resources and reminders, I am able to move more fluidly amid the little absurdities, the injuries, the frustrations. In the time since I’ve returned from his program at Kripalu, I’ve often heard David’s inviting and sonorous voice declare in my head, “No, this is real life!” and I immediately recommit to those activities that help me move beyond the sticky surface of the day’s checklist. Poetry, yoga, solitude, and reflection all serve as reminders of that richness always available to me. It’s absolutely true that I can find real life within and outside of Kripalu. The common variable is me.
Janet Arnold-Grych is a marketing manager and a yoga teacher.
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