Life, the Great Teacher

When you're busy making plans, watch out

- Ms. Simone Preuss

A popular metaphor in yoga is that of flying a kite knowing when to give string, so that the wind can take over and make the kite soar, and when to reel it in so that the kite does not get entangled in trees and other such objects. The idea is clear - let go when higher forces are at play and take over when you can control something - real simple. In theory at least.

Or as Patanjali says in Sutra 2.47, Prayatna Shaithilya Ananta Samapattibhyam - relaxation of efforts and absorption into something infinite in regards to mastering Asanas. In life, this relaxation of efforts is important too or we would just become tense and rigid and miss our goals because of it. Yoga is about effortlessness.

I am a big fan of the metaphor and the Sutra and use both of them in class whenever they fit. But over the last few months, I observed myself trying to hold the string of the kite when I should have let go. In response, life, the beautiful teacher, simply played out as it always does and left me with no option in the end. And I finally understood and bowed down gracefully (after having a hearty laugh at my own folly).

What had happened? It was university application time - not my own, my daughter's. After clearing high school, it was time to look at the world of higher studies that beckoned - US, Europe, India - the world seemed her oyster. With a wonderful predicted grade, she managed to get into a highly ranked university abroad in her chosen field of study, which is much sought after.