A Ferris Wheel Moment of Awe
“The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot.”
Hello dear friends,
It's been a while since I was on a Ferris wheel - I think that the last time was at Navy Pier in the early 2000s (the old wheel, not the Centennial Wheel!)
As I remember it, the ride wasn't fast, but it was steady. It was a continuous load ride, the wheel kept spinning slowly and people exited as new riders got on.
Once we boarded, the wheel moved and our view shifted to reveal an overhead perspective of the buildings and the people in line. And then Lake Michigan became a central part of the scenery. The view kept widening, and we knew that the top was coming, the very top, where we could see across the lake, all the way to Indiana and beyond.
There was a moment at the top of the circle - a fraction of a second - where we were neither going up, nor descending, but fully present in that panoramic view. And for that single awe-struck moment, we were small. Just a tiny portion of the great big universe.
The wheel continued to turn slowly and the motion carried us back to earth. The moment had ended. It was time to disembark and be earthbound. But there had been a moment of awe at the top of the arc where we were a part of something much bigger.
We have the same opportunity to encounter the vastness of the universe in our yoga practice. Each breath we take offers us a Ferris wheel moment of awe. A moment to connect with everything that is a part of our selves and also greater than our selves.
Sometimes it's easy to find that connection. Other days it's harder. That's why I keep returning to my practice - to experience a moment of awe and to catch a glimpse of something greater.
Please join me on your mat.
Love & Awe,
Nina G