Take It to The Limit One More Time
Reflections on Indomitable Will
At the end of a 240 mile plus bike ride through the Finger Lakes of New York State, I was struck by the limitless potential of the human spirit. A child of 9 and a man of 82 both participated in this amazing ride. Each time I faced a hill, the summit of which seemed insurmountable, I set an intention, a sankulpa, to ride to the top. I only walked up 2 out of hundreds of hills.
Daily, I invoked the protection of the Divine Mother for myself and all those riding. I used the Navarna mantra given to me by Rajmani Tigunait, the head of the Himalayan Institute.When I experienced moments of fear and self-doubt, I focused on the voice of Rajmani Tigunait from his CD, The Spirit Of The Vedas. “Do not allow yourself to tumble into darkness. Keep turning toward the light.” I did and it worked.
With each strike of the pedal, I practiced steady, controlled breathing, working to breath through my nose and not to pant in and out of my mouth. I heard the words of my teacher, Rod Stryker, “Do not push your prana out. Keep your breath smooth, steady, and as quiet as possible. I rarely ran out of breath.
Until we are challenged, we can never know the depth of our strength, our willpower, our knowledge, our skill and our ability to persevere. Each time we come to the mat, we meet our individual edge. We must continue to challenge ourselves, remembering that:
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
Writing into the Light 