The State of Your Bed is the State of your Head
“The state of your bed is the state of your head” writes author Karen Maezen Miller in her recent Huffington Post article. I’ve been giving this alot of thought since I read it this afternoon. She writes that the simple act of making one’s bed in the morning is symbolic of the transition from sleep to wakefulness and an act of beginning one’s day with mindfulness. In my family I teach that no one should leave in the morning unless beds are made. It is such a simple act but one of moving from horizontal to veritcal, from rest to action.It shows respect for oneself and one’s surroundings. Just as a made bed gives clues to ones home and habits, as a yoga instructor there are certain “clues” I get about individuals through the way they inhabit their physical bodies. Are their hands curled into a fist or do they readily spread open in acceptance and trust? Do they stand evenly on their feet, grounding to the magnetic earth energy or do they tend to stand on the inner or outer edges of their feet, with hesitation? Can they lie still in savasana, or does fidgeting signal unease and a “busy” brain. Try it out, observe (svadhyaya) yourself during the day, your habits, your yoga practice and see what you discover!
