Just Like The Sandpiper

I spent hours this weekend sitting on the beach watching the sandpipers run up and down on the shore. I was struck by the teachings and the metephor that was unfolding. The bird could only find his "grubs" or nourishment at a very specific spot. It was where the wave was receeding and there was a place of pausing before the wave returned. My little sandpipers had to be nimble and persistant to watch, feel, and create an internal system for knowing the timing involved. He would run up the shore as the wave came in and he would follow the wave as it fell back, there he quickly peced into the sand to recieve his nourishment. Our spiritual practices are like this. It is one of devotion, persistance, waiting, feeling knowing, staying in tune and shaprening our skills. If my little sandpiper had given up on this work he would have receeded to the dry sand on the beach and missed out on his nourishment. If he was not practiced and disciplined he could have been overwhelmed by the force of the wave. Our spiritual practice is running back and forth with the ebb and flow of life. Playing in the wet sand right at the spot where life's waves meet the shores. We must stay here and develop our resiliancy . No matter how difficult some of my mental games get if I return to my Yoga mat, move my body, connect to breath, and sing the sanskrit mantras I will be nourished and supplied with a never ending source of joy. The Joy is simple it comes from that which created ALL of us and all of nature.