Hello,
My name is Sierra and I felt called to offer this meditation and this prayer on union today.
Union is a really big theme in the yoga practice.
The word itself,
Yoga,
Means to yoga or to unite.
And so this sentiment was something that was really resonating with me today.
So I wanted to explore that idea a little bit with you.
So bringing yourself into a comfortable seated position here.
And gently close your eyes,
Sit up nice and tall.
Begin to settle into your breath.
Releasing any forms of resistance that might be in your body.
Resistance can show up like tension,
Can show up like tightness,
Or can show up as mental chatter.
Notice where you are resisting.
See if you can open yourself up to a space of receptivity,
Of loving openness,
Of compassion for yourself,
Your feelings in this present moment.
So just settle deeper into your breath here.
Take a few full inhales and exhales.
Inhale and exhale.
So shifting your awareness slightly from your breath and into your heart here.
And noticing if there's any resistance here.
Opening up with space,
With lovingness.
I'm going to offer this little poem or prayer,
Whatever you want to call it on union.
And I'll invite you to just listen and receive the words into your heart.
And notice the receptivity in your body.
What is union?
Union is harmony and balance between two sides.
Union is the ability of opposing forces to lift each other up.
Union is work towards a common goal.
Union is knowing where you lack and making a conscious effort to shift back to balance.
Union is partnership.
Union is equality.
Union is the center.
How do we find union?
What stands in our way from living in this space of unity?
We find union by getting real with ourselves,
Where we're lacking,
Where we're overstepping,
Where we're avoiding.
Finding union requires us to balance our shadows with the light.
Union requires us to dig our heads from the sand and open our eyes.
We find union when we quit resisting our fear and our shame.
Union comes when we can turn these spaces back towards love.
Union is the simple beauty of a flower's bloom with the intricate stability of ancient roots.
Union is a calm water surface with the sleeping potential of mountainous waves.
Union is the ability to honor your own peace while standing firmly for your brother's freedom.
Union is the capability of everyone.
Union is the natural and desired state of our hearts.
Union is our truth.
So sitting with your awareness in your heart here,
Seeing if you can cultivate a feeling of unity and a feeling of receptivity,
Breathing around any blockages,
Any resistance,
Turning yourself up to this idea of union,
What does it look like for you?
Asking yourself to your heart,
How can I live in union with the greatest good for all?
Let your heart answer from that place of freedom,
Of open,
Of space,
Of love and compassion aside from fear and judgment and shame.
Let yourself open up to the ways that you can support,
That you can listen,
That you can offer some relief.
Know that this place of unity is our natural state and that we all get to choose whether we live in this space of unity or a space of separation and resistance.
Choose right now who you will be when you move forward from this moment.
Are you committed to creating unity,
To embodying love,
To opening with compassionate,
Receptive and listening ears?
Know that this is your truth.
Feel free to stay in this space as long as you need.
And when you're ready,
Softly open up your eyes.
Namaste.
