What If
By Ganga White

What if religion was each other,
If our practice was our life,
If prayer was our words.

What if the Temple was the Earth,
If forests were our church,
If holy water—the rivers, lakes and oceans.

What if meditation was our relationships,
If the Teacher was life,
If wisdom was self-knowledge,
If love was the center of our being.

-For the Rainforest Benefit, NYC, 1998

During yoga class this morning, the instructor told us to get focused and rooted before we did our tree pose. The pose looks easy, but balance is crucial. Some of my classmates were in tree pose quickly, but others needed a bit more time to find balance. I find tree pose so poetic. I see the class as a forest of beautiful and different trees. I always imagine myself being a tropical tree – the landscape I grew up with.

While running this week, I noticed how I was able to run at a faster pace. The route I used to run in 30 minutes I can now run in half the time. But it took me some time to get where I am. It is amazing how our bodies adjust.

In art, there are artists that like to produce a lot of work fast while others – like myself – produce work more slowly. I like to take my time. I enjoy researching, writing, and reading about things that inspire me.

In life, it is important to go at our own pace when using our bodies, minds and hearts. As runners say: “run at a pace that is comfortable for you and you will prevent injuries”.

Photo: El Yunque National Rainforest, Puerto Rico.