Yoga is the Process of Radical Tranformation - Georg Feuerstein
I am well on my way into one of the most profound transformations that I have experienced thus far in my life. The transition to motherhood. Right now, I am broaching the end of my second trimester and can feel the physical, mental and emotion changes coming on faster and stronger everyday. Thus far, I have been humbled and aw-inspired by the process of pregnancy. By what seems like magic, my body is growing another human! As I type this, she is wiggling around in there, and it feels like she gets bigger by the moment. I find myself in constant amazement and celebration of the female body, yet at the same time I have never felt so vulnerable. Everyday is a rollercoaster of emotions (good, bad, and ugly) and a barrage of mysterious physical changes (stretching belly, swollen feet, pelvic pain, weird rashes...)
Through out this process, the practice of Yoga has helped me navigate these transitionswith much greater ease and compassion. My teacher Mynx often reminds us that change is a constant and inevitable part of life, the only thing in this life that doesn't change is ourTrue Self. According to Yoga, our True Self, is made up of Sat, Chit, and Ananda. The Sanskrit word Sat can literally be translated as being, or that which never changes. Chit is translated as consciousness, and Ananda is bliss.
A contemporary philosopher, Yasuhiko Kimura, defines transformation as a dance between being and becoming. By being, we can tap into that part of us which never changes, which can be touched while practicing meditation, tuning inward, or in deep Savasana. Becoming is the part of us that grows, shifts, transforms, the part that does change. For me remembering to honor and connect with both aspect of my self, my being, the still center, and that which I am becoming, have been profoundly helpful to navigate these rapid changes with greater ease.