The Vulture of Negative Thinking: Yoga with Amy at Carson City Yoga, Carson City, NV: March 31, 2018
Carson City has a vulture tree. It is both haunting and beautiful and is the mascot of my move to Reno.
Iyengar is rumored to say "if you keep your armpits open you will never get depressed". That is such a bold statement from one of my favorite yogis that, hey, why not try it for a while. My move from Carson to Reno, is turning out to be a bigger deal than I thought. Exhaustion is setting in, and just on her heels is worry, second guessing, anxiety, and paradoxically a little depression. Its the little things that set me to the negative, like the blooming of my favorite trees, the Morning Star. This year, all five of them are coming online. Instead of enjoying them for the gorgeousnessness they are, I see all my hours in the garden clearing and tending to them, loving them with my own hands in the dirt, only to have to say goodbye to them.
The Vulture totem asks you to be patient with yourself and think things through. Take your time before making decisions and choose paths that support your higher consciousness and your heart. It asks we use all of our resources, including our past experience, to problem solve and navigate through a situation from a new, fresh angle, honoring the highest benefit. Such 'instructions' are a tall order.
What does any of this have to do with opening your armpits? First of all, I've only rarely in my 56 years paid attention to my armpits. Its not an attractive part of the body, and its hidden from view unless you contort yourself to see it, which is exactly what the practices of yoga do. They bring awareness to aspects of self, especially those in dark and hidden places. As the vulture totem suggests to tackle an issue in a new way, and our teacher Amy instructed today, I've been practicing poses with open armpits. And because Iyengar says it will help lighten the burden of my mind, I've been opening my armpits as much as possible, like while driving, like while enjoying pear pizza at Adele's, like while packing the millionth box, like at 3am when I can't sleep, I'm lying there like a geek practicing open armpits. To my amazement its surprisingly relieving of anxiety, maybe because it gives my mind something other to focus on than mentally worrying about if my Grandmother's china will survive the move, but maybe because opening the armpits activates the meridian GB 22 and physically gives more room for the heart.
Opening your armpits doesn't have to be as gross as it sounds, and in fact, will do you some good. It gives what in chinese medicine is known as GB 22 Yuan Ye a nice little stretch. The English translation is Armpit Abyss. Since the practice of yoga is about self study, not self improvement, its always useful to see aspects of self we don't usually see, especially the deep and dark places.
I learned how to do that in class today and I felt my heart lift and open, which is the whole point of what I'm trying to accomplish in my life. It is all too easy to forget that big picture amidst my whining about this move.
Our new Reno townhome had two pink cherry blossom trees, in full bloom. I planted 5 of them here in Carson last year because I love them so. My plantings all are coming online, along with the Morning Stars. With a fresh new out look into the darker recesses of armpits and my mind I can see what I love, like pink cherry blossom trees, is already happening in my new home, and just waiting to be tended and love and nurtured. I'll add some Morning Stars in my new garden, and love them in their own way and every bit as much as I did the ones in Carson. Of that I'm sure.
Health, Love, and Rock n Roll.
Two magnificent morning star plants blooming in Carson. I will plant a few in our new house and love them just as much.