We all thrive on inspiration, that quality that motivates us to activity, that leads us to new forms and ways of being, that uplifts us if we feel tired or stuck.
In life we find this in many forms, other people, writing, art, nature, something becomes a catalyst for seeing ourselves and things differently and we are carried in a new direction.
Inspiration is integral to life, it gives rise to the new, it overcones the stagnant, it allows new directions, innovation, and ultimately change which is a key characteristic of knowable life.
It is a quality well understood in Yoga, countless people have found that encountering Yoga has taken them in a whole new direction, allowed change in themselves and helped them beyond what they felt was limiting them.
Not only is this found in the wisdom, knowledge, texts and practices of Yoga, but unsurprisingly it is also present in the practitioner of yoga, in the teacher of Yoga. Traditionally, the teacher, or the Guru is a catalyst for a tremendous change, they are so inspirational and transformative that you are never the same again, everything is different.
Various texts indicate that the Yogi or Yogini lifts others up, inspires them by their presence, by their actions. This is a phenomenal thing to he able to do, we might not have the means or mechanisms to measure how much we inspire others, but we can all recognise the people, circumstances and phenomena that have inspired us. Some of these will be literally life changing, how wonderful is that, that you can meet someone, hear, see, read or experience something that takes you in a refreshing, new direction.
Often we may overlook that we ourselves have this ability to lead to this inspiration for others, in sometimes the subtlest ways, just a smile, just a simple gesture, act, just by your very being.
Recognising and feeling this allows you to really appreciate the intelligence that flows through life, that being open to this through your practice, you then become a conduit through which this flows to others around you.
May life continue to inspire and uplift you. OM
