Adjust, adopt, accommodate OR what is MY yoga all about?
Yesterday, in an internet discussion about vegetarianism, where I was its advocate, I was called “a stupid cow” by the objector. I can only agree that with the word “cow”, that he was not far from the truth.
Today morning, in midst of my daily duties of making the Kerala breakfast, giving water to cow, feeding the chickens and waking up Gayatri (sometimes a task requiring high concentration and stamina), we received a call that the milking man is not coming today. Why? He’s not well. Can happen, right?!
I swallowed heavily and thoughts started swirling through my head: “Let Krishna (our calf) drink it all, let him enjoy the milk today. But, he’s already 6 months old, and he doesn’t need milk anymore. And if he drinks all milk, we won’t have any milk for tea and mainly my COFFEE!” I was not ready to give in. I saw my husband in slight distress as he was in the middle of the preparation for his online class starting 1 hour later. “I will milk Paru,” I uttered suddenly, thinking, if I really said that?!!!
Having observed the milkman a few times, I was determined to perform my milking duty. However, while taking the milk pot, Paru, our cow, already noticed that something was different. She became restless. I was determined to perform my milking duty. I released Krishna to drink a little milk, to be able to milk. I tried to sing while milking, such as the milkman usually did, for Paru not to get too suspicious. First kick. I was determined to perform my milking duty. Second kick. Paru starts moving around with me following her trying to jump on Krishna. While my determination is slowly diminishing, I hear the sweet voice of my husband through my left ear: “Do you need any help? You know, animals listen more to men.” “Yeah, right”, I thought to myself. However, my opinion changed in a split of a second, when I saw Paru standing motionless like a statue with her eyes squinting blissfully.
This might sound like a funny story, but it was not fun for me earlier. Earlier, I would not come up with the idea of taking on any unprecedented task (which makes it almost impossible to live in India). I would blame my husband for not having arranged otherwise. My mind would be ruminating about how much I had to do, would fall into the victim’s role.
With today’s morning story, I just want to point out what yoga means for me: to go about daily duties and responsibilities happily. To be able to adopt to change with less friction or resistance. To be compassionate and patient. To be there for my family.
AND at the end of the day, I am grateful, that I am going to sleep in my girlie room and that I might even wake up the next morning! Although I am not doing any “yoga” these days in the form of asanas, pranayama or meditation, I feel that I am doing more yoga than ever before and that truly warms my heart.
Happy May 1st tomorrow, which is “lásky čas” (in Czech the time of love)
with love and a moo from India
Meera
