śrī: beauty

A few years ago, I was in Aspen, Colorado and decided to see the Maroon Bells Peaks in the White River National Forest. This is one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. As I walked into the park I paused. The Maroon Bells rose in the background and I saw their clear reflection on the lake below. The reflection seemed to quiver every time the wind would gently move across the lake, creating subtle ripples on its surface. The Aspen groves were scattered at the base of the peaks and yellow flowers were peppered here and there among them. It was breathtaking.

Another one of the aspects of śrī is beauty which in Sanskrit is saundarya. This word does not only refer to beauty in terms of looks but also as a manifestation of harmony, proportion, balance, appropriateness, grace, and radiance. Śrī as beauty is the harmonious expression of life, truth, and order that naturally evokes appreciation and delight.

On this account, a flower, a well-lived life, a generous action, a balanced ecosystem, a profound teaching, an elegant mathematical formula, and a yoga class whose parts unfold naturally into a meaningful whole all embody saundarya. 

This week, practice yoga so that you can experience the kind of beauty that saundarya stands for. Don't get caught up in the idea of how you should look doing a pose but focus on creating the experience of harmony, balance and appropriate effort in every pose.

In doing so, we remind ourselves what the beauty of harmonious living feels like.

I look forward to seeing you in class.

Breathe harmoniously,

Blessings

Jorge Nihāl