Tonight we yoga under the full moon...
Ding.
You jolt suddenly, certain you must have drifted off to sleep. Your body feels heavy and relaxed
Ding.
Geez, surely two chimes weren’t necessary you think as you yawn and stretch, listening to the quiet final instructions of the yoga teacher.
The night air is still and warm. The moon is full and the ocean shimmers underneath it. Admiring its beauty, you realise you are still meant to have your eyes closed, you take an intentional full deep breath in but your exhale becomes another yawn. Its audible this time too – great! You shut your eyes abruptly, avoiding eye contact with the teacher.
On the way out of the studio the yoga teacher hands each person a note, you notice everyone ahead of you place the paper in their pocket, so you do the same.
Collecting their belongings, patiently waiting for each other, someone slides on another guest’s thongs and takes a few steps before returning them embarrassed.
“Oh they’re mine,” you say, sliding them on, whilst recoiling from the foot sweat left behind.
You reflexively add a “thanks”, it sounds barely genuine. The sweaty thong thief flashes you a brief sorry smile and darts past you.
On the walk back to your bungalow, you stop near a light pointing directly up from the ground and illuminating a palm tree. You’re intrigued and want to know what this note’s about. As you reach into your pocket you hear the distinct sound of thongs clapping the pathway behind you, embarrassed you shove the note back into your pocket.
"Good evening", the yoga teach smiles, almost knowingly and glides serenely ahead, silently, no noisy thong clapping.
You continue on your way, spying another guest stopped ahead of you, in the distance, they are reading their note in the same way. If it had have been their phone they were hastily checking, you probably wouldn’t have noticed - well in the real world. But it seemed odd to need that instant gratification from a piece of paper. It looked desperate and almost childish. You resolve to wait.
Once you get to your room there’s a tray with a steaming pot of herbal tea awaiting you.
Sat on the end of your bed, sipping the tea you remove the note from the yoga teacher, it reads
Precious Human Life Prayer
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Every day, think as you wake up:
Today I am fortunate to have woken up. I am alive, I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it.
I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.
I am going to have kind thoughts towards others.
I am not going to get angry, or think badly about others.
I am going to benefit others as much as I can.
Nice. I like that, you think. I’ll have to ask the sweaty thong thief if she was given the same passage tomorrow...
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Until next time...
Kate
