Whether you love Moby or not (I’m on the love side of the equation), he got it right with his song “We are all Made of Stars” – according to quantum physics, 90% of our body is technically stardust, because all of the elements except for hydrogen and helium are created in stars…humans, animals, and almost all other matter on Earth contain the same elements – we are the universe!
This month’s focus at Jivamukti Yoga School is on Gopal – little baby Krishna. There are tons of stories about how little Gopal was always causing trouble; playing tricks on the cowherd gopis, or on his mother, Yashoda. All of the stories are entertaining – who doesn’t love a story about child mischief?!, but they all have some sort of lesson or insight within them as well.
There are various stories told of Gopal yawning while sitting on his mother’s lap, or of him getting yelled at for stealing butter or eating dirt, and opening his mouth up wide to cry – and when he opens his mouth, Yashoda is stunned by the sight, because inside Gopal’s mouth, she sees the entire universe. She sees the world being created, destroyed, being born again, and each and every human and animal and plant in existence. EVERYTHING was inside of Gopala’s mouth…
These stories are a reminder that we are all the same – animal, plant, mineral – THE SAME. If you truly saw yourself in each and every other being on this planet, would you still treat them the way you do now?
This month’s focus also allows us to become a bit more child-like. Maybe be a bit more curious, adventurous. Maybe turn things upside down, practice those handstands, see things from a more child-like point of view. Have you ever done an inversion outside in the park? The trees looks amazing!
In keeping with the child-like theme, I felt like coloring the other day…so here is my child-like version of Yashoda seeing all of creation in Gopala’s mouth…
april dechagas 