Action.

The art of archery is a perfect metaphor for training the mind. The archer has to be relaxed and concentrated. The bow itself must be strong yet flexible, and it is through tension and letting go that the arrow can fly straight and true to its target.

I find the Bow pose is a wonderful exercise for developing concentration and engaging the will. The kind of strenuous movement it demands does not just happen; we have to put in the effort. We have to want to do it. In the same way we have to put in the effort if we want to become an instrument for the Divine.

We have to be willing to put ourselves under pressure. Yoga is often equated with relaxing. Equally, it should be known as demanding. If the ultimate goal of yoga is cosmic consciousness or union with the Divine, why should we expect it to be easy? We have to be shaped into something that the Divine can really use.

I always had an untested ideal of service. When I was given the opportunity to be an assistant to my teacher in the last years of her life, it was like an answer to my deepest prayers. I entered the position with goodwill and love. Her duty as a teacher, of course, was to help me see and overcome my weaknesses so I could be free. Because she had limited time, the pressure was on. At times I felt that I was nothing but my weaknesses, but I recognized even that as just another self-pitying thought. I had a choice: to accept the challenge or to stay stuck in my old ways.

This particular period of my life remains vibrantly alive for me because I learned what it takes to put an ideal into action.

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