Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Maintenance vs. Expansion

No one is heralded for maintenance.

The newspaper is quick to write up a story about when the local factory is going expand its production lines and add jobs. But they never let you know when they close down the line for routine maintenance.

Every parent I know sends out a birth announcement when a new baby arrives. But notices of daily maintenance chores like "we fed our kids today" just don't get sent.

Every high school kid brags when he gets new wheels on his car. But he never mentions oil changes.

Maintenance is boring. Expansion is...well, it's "sexy." It sells. Oh--by the way--expansion is what we want.

I never hear someone say "I can't wait to get up tomorrow morning to brush my teeth." But when those people on Extreme Makeover get a full set of porcelain veneers slapped on by Dr. Dorfman, the rejoicing seems like it will never end. Woo hoo!

When we're caught up in the thrill of expansion, we forget that expansion is not possible without maintenance. Big, inspiring moves are just not possible without first establishing a launching pad.

I am unashamedly Christian. Today is the day that the Church consciously remembers and celebrates Saints Peter and Paul. Maybe they do it to emphasize a similar contrast.

Paul was the travelling preacher. He went out on the road to spread the news of the early Church. But Peter was "the Rock," the foundation, the stable ground on which the new Church relied for steadiness and consistency. Check out the Bible. Paul gets way more ink than Peter.

I rest my case. We are human. We are drawn to the big moves. They attract our attention. But big, free expansive movements don't come without first establishing and maintaining a stable foundation.

Want more ease in your yoga poses? Look lower. Find the parts of your body that are closest the ground and establish them firmly. Freedom is a fruit of stability.

Don't just read about it. Get up. Experience it. Experience yoga!

Kevin Perry
www.ExperienceYoga.org

p.s., "Give me a lever long enough and I will move the world." That's the wisdom of Archimedes. Right? Wrong!
Archimedes really said, "Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I will move the world." He too knew a firm foundation was needed to accomplish the largest tasks.

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved, Mo Yoga LLC.

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