My journey so far

I believe we're all spiritual beings occupying a physical body BUT some of us know it, some of don't know it (or don't remember it yet?) and some of us choose not to think about the connection (perhaps to stay grounded in the physical experience we've chosen to venture on).

I consider myself to be very spiritually aware... but until a few days ago, I considered this a fairly fresh and recent development in my life, brought about by my becoming a mother.

A week ago, something pretty crazy but cool happened to me, which I will post about some other time, but it that made me reflect on my life so far and all of a sudden I was struck by how odd things I did early on in my life were very spiritually based.

When i was old enough to swim (about 6 or 7) I didn't swim in the pool like the other kids... I did this 'weird' but unbelievably relaxing thing where I'd do laps and laps of the pool with my legs in lotus position of all things! I'd start at the shallow end (of a home pool so it wasn't all that deep) and let myself sink to the bottom while exhaling with my eyes closed, and then I'd use my hands to propel myself upwards and forward a little bit to get a breath of air before continuing with my exhales and inhales for the length of the pool, then back and forth for many laps.

I absolutely loved being in the water and doing this, and like all kids, I'd spend hours in the pool, regardless of whether it was hot enough to swim or not doing this odd 'exercise' for hours every day through most of spring and summer. I have only just realised that what I was doing was a form of meditation and that the way I was regulating my breathing was facilitating a bodily connection to my soul.

At many times when I felt misunderstood by or upset with my parents, I can remember longing to be in the pool, just chilling out doing my laps! I thought I liked swimming, but really it was an escape that obviously relaxed and centred me. I can even remember the first weeks of swimming each year, and how hard it would be hard to maintain the lotus position for the hours of laps I wanted to do because I was out of practice... What a weird kid hey!

Added to this odd way of passing time, I also found a great deal of pleasure doing headstands! I first practised doing headstands with a pillow for my head to rest on, and I'd then push my legs up so they lined up with the wall for support. Gradually I developed the balance and strength required to stay in the pose for 20 minutes or more... and at this point moved away from a wall did my headstands with a small cushion without any supporting walls for my legs... and instead of doing standard headstands with the legs fully extended, I'd put my legs in the lotus position first and then do the headstand! I guess at this time I would have been about 9 or 10. What an odd kid, hey? It's no wonder my parents never 'got' me!

The lotus position and headstand exercise weren't the only yoga exercises I'd do... although at the time i didn't know they were yoga. I had found a diet / good health type book of my mum's which had photos of some exercises for flexibility in it, and the depictions of various yoga poses were the ones i picked to learn.

There's the first instalment of my reflecting on my journey so far. There's more to come so stay tuned :D