I want to share a couple quotes from Swami Nirmalananda that are particularly relevant today. We shared these for contemplation in classes the past two weeks.

“Your inner process unfolds in predictable stages, like the blossoming of a rose. You are growing into Self. Your early experiences of bliss lead to a quiet inner peace that carries into your day… Peace turns into clarity, which deepens into being centered and grounded even in the midst of life’s craziness.”

“Times are changing faster now, fueled by technology and social media. You really have to be deeply grounded in order to manage what’s coming at you. Yoga’s teachings [and practices] give you that inner strength and peace, so you can handle anything.”

The times are indeed changing. Things do seem to be coming at us at an increasing frequency and rate. The state of affairs both nationally and globally are challenging. This is the time of all times for getting centered. I love the name that Nancy chose for her yoga business when she founded it 37 years ago: The Centered Place. It’s your place to become centered.

I recall a lesson about centering that I learned as a youngster, visiting San Francisco’s Playland-at-the-Beach, about 20 miles from where I grew up on the Bay Area peninsula. One of the many attractions was the “Joy Wheel,” a flat wooden disc that you would climb onto with others waiting in line with you. Once everyone is seated, the disk would then start spinning, faster and faster, eventually forcing you to slide off.

I learned that if you sit at the center of the disc, you were able to stay on for the whole ride. The centrifugal force did not affect you. It affected those who were sitting away from center, especially those who were positioned closer to the outer edge.

This is a good example of what being centered is about. When the world around you seems to be spinning faster and faster, when you are feeling “on edge,” find your center. Otherwise, you’ll be flung off.

Another way to stay centered on the Joy Wheel is to join hands with others in a circle around the center. In the Video of the Month section below, see how elephants did just that to protect their young during a recent earthquake in San Diego.

Yoga helps you stay on top. It keeps you from being thrown off by adversity or by the winds of change. Find your center and connect with others who are on the same path. Our mission is to give you safe haven in which you can find your center, a stillpoint from which your Self can blossom forth like a rose. And take the opportunity to connect with others having a similar determination. They will not pull you down from your Joy Wheel. They will support you instead.

Grow into your Self. Find your own centered place inside. Discover your inner strength and courage. Experience the bliss that brings “a quiet inner peace that carries into your day.” Develop more clarity that “deepens into being centered and grounded even in the midst of life’s craziness.”

This is the time! The times may be changing, the world might seem to be spinning out of control, but at your center you can find unwavering strength and peace. The world might seem fraught with discord, but in your heart you can always find tremendous love that will bring unity. The teachings and practices of yoga bolster the best in you. They are ancient, but they are always relevant. They have been relevant for thousands of years.