I remember standing in front of
Stonehenge at 21. Even though Wiltshire is southwest of London, the air felt
colder in the absence of trains. The wind whipped strong, plastering my jacket tight
against my arms.
Looking out over the stones and the
still-green countryside – a place I had never been before and may never be again – what ran through my
head again and again was disbelief. “It looks so small. It looks so small. It looks…so
small.”
Stonehenge, though, isn’t petite in scale.
The largest stone stands 22 feet tall, with another 8 feet below ground. Even
more amazing, it took about 30 million hours to assemble,
has endured over 5,000 years and gives insight into what prehistoric man
was capable of.
But none of that could register at the time.
Because I expected mammoth. And when our expectations differ from reality
– which so often they do – they sour and blind us from the good in and around
our life. Leaving us feeling unfulfilled. Disappointed. Disgusted. Shorted. And creating
much unnecessary dukha, or suffering.
Often without us noticing the root cause.
On the mat, in asana, be mindful of
expectations too. Just because yesterday you kicked up into headstand or balanced in side crow doesn't mean it’s guaranteed today. Expecting otherwise can zap the joy from an otherwise beautiful
practice.
Or one of the world’s wonders.
