It is raining in Arizona today, which is rare. The dry earth is soaking up nourishment and the desert is even starting green up from several days of rain over the past couple of weeks.
I think those of us that live here can almost feel the relief coming from the earth below. It’s as if the ground is finally able to exhale, to relax, or “chilax” (a word my hip L.A. friend taught me over the weekend that combines relax+chill).
It is a striking metaphor to what happens to us when we allow ourselves to be nourished from within. Once we fill ourselves up with oxygen and energy, we are able to let go of tension and toxic emotions that accumulate from rushing around in fight or flight mode.
It can be challenging to stay chilaxed over the holidays – as I experienced yesterday when several people stepped in front of me in line at a store. Rather than get irritated about the fact that I could very well miss my yoga class due to the injustice of it all, I took a few deep breaths and coached myself into keeping it all in perspective.
I ended up getting to class on time with the gift in hand – thanks universe! I’m hoping that, like our beautiful desert, we can all absorb the abundant life around us during this busy time of year.