Be receptive to the moment
A whale sighting, The Music Show and valuing our experience.
Special thanks to Matt O, Kevin W, Rich G and Ryan K. Your shares of last week’s post has led to substantial views. It’s almost reached 1,000 sets of eyes!
Early Saturday morning, I notice four guys setting up a volleyball net behind me. Rising quickly, the sun breaks through the marine layer over our heads. Its rays cut through the cool air and kiss my face with warmth.
I gaze out at the Pacific from a makeshift yoga mat; two towels layered together with a backpack and sandals placed on opposing ends to guard against the wind. Lifeguard chair 28 stands tall at my 10 o’clock. A 100-foot rock wall jetty splits the ocean scene. Twenty surfers wait for waves left of the jetty. A few children run and play on the shore to the right.
Tracy invited me to join. The free yoga class hosts nine women all seated in front of me facing the instructor, Vas. Vas shows fifteen minutes late. I think I’m annoyed then she welcomes us kindly with infectious positivity; effortlessly distracting my tension. She leads us through a few movements, slowly letting the routine unfold.
I lifted weights an hour earlier in the garage at home. Then ran a few miles afterward. I am stiff and sore. I’m also lost as I’ve only completed a dozen yoga classes to date. I look around to emulate the movements of others in the group. They have their struggles too. I settle into my breath and focus on enjoying the space.
As we stretch our arms to the sky in unison, one woman says, “Wow, there’s a whale!”. We look at the water… half posing, half searching. Vas even turns around to look.
A geyser shoots from the surface about thirty feet north of the jetty. Then a whale breaches, flashing a tail wave as it dives back into the ocean. Longer than a blink but shorter than a Pacific Life commercial, the moment lasts an almost perfect amount of time.
Vas tells us to cross our hands over our hearts and close our eyes. Then speaking softly, she says,
Be receptive to the moment
Her words trigger feelings of gratitude. The whale gave us a gift. We witnessed its magnificence, grace and power. And only for an instant. We looked at just the right time. We were receptive to its gift.
Minutes later, Vas instructs us to get into a Twisted Lizard Pose. Something I’ve never done, it requires I pull my rear leg toward my butt while I’m positioned in a split of sorts. Like this gal:
Remember how I am stiff and sore from my morning workout? Yea, I am in trouble. Then Vas encourages me and I somehow get my foot into my hand.
The next minute is pure bliss. A stretch has never felt this divine. My right glute shouts, “About time dude, thank you!”.
I don’t want to leave the pose. I could stay here for hours. But my left glute whines for its share of relief so I transition to the other side.
Sitting there in my second, Twisted Lizard Pose, stretching my butt with painful joy… I think of Vas’ words again:
Be receptive to the moment
I whisper thank you. Thank you to Tracy for the invite. Thank you to Vas for her instruction. To myself for committing the time, energy and foot to hand.
And to The Universe for bringing it all together for a perfect moment of bliss.
You have your moments too.
Are you recognizing them for their magnificence and bliss?
Are you being receptive?
Whether it’s as rare as a whale sighting or as simple as a butt stretch, it is all divine when we allow it to be so.
Vas Kypreos of ESO in Newport Beach leads the class if interested in learning more.
The Music Show
Last week, I recorded the first episode of another creative work, The Bobby Dysart Music Show.
It’s a new experience launched exclusively on Spotify combining music and talk content. It’s like a playlist and podcast combined. In the show, I share stories, messages, poems and some of my favorite tracks. I also invite guest DJs to join so if interested, please let me know!
Chris and I recorded episode one together in his Irvine studio. Here’s a short clip from the show where Chris receives the moment with fresh ears:
We talk about how great it is to stream a full hour of music intentionally. Nothing but beats and perspective.
It reminds us of the times we put on a record or CD with friends. Sitting around just listening to music when we were young. We enjoy recording the experience and hope you take time to enjoy listening to it.
We are still getting a hang of the medium but I’m proud of what we have so far. Episode two launches this week and we kick it up a notch with the music choices.
Please subscribe and give it a listen here on Spotify.
Valuing our experience
My girl, Julia Cameron, comes through again. In her book, The Right to Write, she explains the concept of valuing our experience:
We do not see our size. We do not view ourselves with accuracy. We are far larger, far more marvelous, far more deeply and consistently creative than we recognize or know.
She ends the chapter by likening ourselves to moments. Fitting for this week:
Valuing our experience is not narcissism. It is not endless self-involvement. It is, rather, the act of paying active witness to ourselves and to our world. Such witness is an act of dignity, an act that recognizes that life is essentially a sacred transaction of which we know only the shadow, not the shape. As we attune ourselves more and more closely to the value of passing moments, we learn that we are something of moment ourselves.
She then instructs a writing prompt that I recommend you complete. She suggests giving yourself an hour to write down fifty things you are proud of, from small to the large.
I’m proud of this newsletter. I’m proud of The Music Show. I’m proud I completed a Twisted Lizard Pose.
Maybe you can start by sharing one thing here… what are you proud of?
For next time (possibly):
A vision quest
Beach clean up
The wedding
Until next time,
Don’t wait. Start small. Learn as you go.