Happy Baby: May 26 - June 1

Patrick and I spent a wonderful weekend with our niece's baby. At 8 months old, she is discovering these amazing things called feet. She giggles as she sucks her toes and spontaneously wiggles into a "happy baby" pose that would make any yoga teacher proud. She kicks her feet with pure joy. You can almost see her infant mind making the connection between thought and body.

I take for granted this automatic thought-body response. I forget there was a time when I had to learn all of this. It takes a baby to remind me how miraculous this body is. This is the inspiration for this week's practice.

Practice

Upon waking up but still lying in bed or maybe while in the shower, take a moment to bless the body.

Start with the feet. Wriggle them awake. Gently caress them. Let warm water cleanse them or massage them with lotion. Breathe and imagine love flowing all the way to the toes. Experience your feet and your legs rather than just thinking about them. Honor the feet and legs for supporting you and carrying you through life. Bless them for all the ways they serve you and allow you to serve.

Move the attention upwards to the lower trunk of the body. In many traditions, the gut is considered the energy center for creativity. It is the place where we were first connected to another human being and received life. Place the hand on the belly with respect and reverence. Breathe in and feel the stomach rise. Imagine love flowing into the center or your being, filling you with warmth and life. Listen deeply to your instincts and deepest feelings. Honor this part of the body for supporting you and feeding you through life. Bless this part of the body for all the ways it serves you and allows you to serve.

Shift the awareness to the heart, lungs, and upper part of the body. In many traditions, the heart is considered the emotional center for relationships and love. Rest your hand upon your heart. Sense the lungs breathing and the heart pumping as life pulses through your body. Call to memory those you hold in your heart. Tap into the inmost chamber where your truest self resides. Honor the heart for sustaining you. Bless the heart for all the ways it serves you and allows you to serve.

Feel the arms, the elbows, the wrists, the hands, and the fingers. Embrace the body with your arms. Thanks the hands that feed and clean, communicate and protect, heal and create. Lift your hands in thanksgiving and praise. Honor the hands that hold babies, pets, and beloved ones. Bless the hands for all the ways they serve you and allow you to serve.

Focus on the head, the face, the ears, the nose, and the eyes. This is the knowledge center for thought, intuition, wisdom, and insight. The face gives expression of our inner world to the outer world. Sight, sound, taste, and smell are the doorways through which the outside world is made known. Smile is gratitude for the wonder that you are. Honor this part of the body for revealing the uniqueness of you. Bless the head for all the ways it serves you and allows you to serve.

Perceive the whole body. Stretch from head to toe. Breathe fully into the body, sensing life flowing from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet. Listen intensely with the mind, the heart, and the gut. Awaken to all of the senses. Lie on your back, grab your toes, and rock back in forth. Embody the happy baby you once were. Honor this body for its multitude of gifts. Bless this body for all the ways it serves you and allows you to serve.