Why I Wake Early

I was gifted a beautiful book of poetry by Mary Oliver, Why I Wake Early.  This poem describes the experience of early morning yoga in India.  I read this poem and I see the sun on everyone’s faces while we practice yoga in Rajasthan.  I see a hundred salutes to the sun.  I see everyone warming up their bones, doing Warrior I again and again around the grounds, around the swimming pool, warming up and eagerly awaiting the morning sun to come up over the trees.

Sunrise Yoga!

Hello, sun in my face.

Hello, you who make the morning

and spread it over the fields

and into the faces of the tulips

and the nodding morning glories,

and into the windows of, even, the

miserable and the crotchety—

best preacher that ever was,

dear star, that just happens

to be where you are in the universe

to keep us from ever-darkness,

to ease us with warm touching,

to hold us in the great hands of light—

good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day

in happiness, in kindness.

Starting the Day with Crescent Moon

Sun coming up over the hills and trees, starting to warm up now!