Yoga class reading, 7/13/05: A Place to Sit, by Kabir

Six students this morning, mostly regulars - very reassuring that attendance is picking up. It was a nice flow - I put in the Warrior II -> Garudasana balancing transition and the standing split -> seated twist transition. I think I'm getting better at sensing when people's energy is losing focus and either making the poses more challenging or more restoring in response - although there's some virtue in pushing people past where they think they're tired, like Darren John Main does. Anyway, the reading for the morning:

A PLACE TO SIT
by Kabir

Don't go outside your house to see flowers.
My friend, don't bother with that excursion.
Inside your body there are flowers.
One flower has a thousand petals.
That will do for a place to sit.
Sitting there you will have a glimpse of beauty
inside the body and out of it,
before gardens and after gardens.

translated by Robert Bly