Well July seemed to fly by. Can we slow down
August?

I like the depiction of August as “the Sunday of
Summer.” Sunday is the end of the week, and
August is the end of summer (almost). But there is
a much deeper correlation than that. Sunday is a
time for slowing down, for rest and recreation, for getting away and for being with
family, friends and nature. Sunday is also a time for worship.

So is August. And we can slow it down by fully revering every moment of it.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines “august” as
“inspiring reverence or admiration; of supreme dignity or grandeur.”
Being at the end of summer, August inspires
reverence for these precious last remaining days of summer.
We realize how fleeting time is, and the time is now. As the saying goes,
“The present moment is the only place where life exists.”
To fully enjoy these days of summer, that’s the place where
we have to be: the present moment.

Reverence for the present moment is a spiritual
practice. All the world’s religions teach us to make
the most of every moment and that the opportunity
each moment brings will not come to us again.

In some spiritual practices, being fully aware in the
moment is known as practicing the presence of
God. This is to see the Divine in everyday
activities, whether it’s washing dishes, being stuck
in traffic or conversing with another human being.
It is letting go of the past and future, and
recognizing the grandeur of each moment, of your
own Self and the Self of others.

The practice of spiritual presence is for all
seasons of the year, but if you want to enjoy
these days of sunlight before they shrink into
fall and winter, dear August is the time!

Head to the beach, relax in the warmth of sun and
sand. Listen to the soothing sound of the ocean.
The ocean “breathes” wave by wave, offering the
healing sound of Ujjayi, the breathing practice we
do in every class. Known as the Ocean Breath,
Ujjayi makes you feel good, just as the soothing
sound of the ocean does. You feel refreshed,
renewed and reCreated.

Hike into the woods. Listen to a bubbling brook. It
quiets your mind and speaks to your soul, flowing
and, eventually, merging into the ocean. That’s you
on the yogic path. As Swami wrote in last month’s
article Where are You Going?: “Your destiny is to
know your deeper essence [svaroopa], to live in
the constant flow of inner inspiration and to let
your Divine light overflow into your life, your
relationships and the world.”

If you don’t travel at this time, or even if you do,
take yoga’s journey inward. Explore the vast inner
expanses of your own Beingness. Roam in the
greener pastures of your heart and the expanses
of your Self rather than in the brambles of your
mind. Experience your destiny. As Swami writes in
this month’s article, A Juicy Life, “By delving into
your own inner dimensionality, you tap into the
source of life, the power of love, the delight of creativity and the peace of
timelessness. These fill you from within.”

The peace of timelessness. You don’t only slow down the flow of time: you get beyond the confines of time. Instead of each moment flying by, each moment becomes an infinite expanse. The mind has stopped. You experience pure Beingness, your own Divine Essence.