COURTNEY ROHAN YOGA

In Uncertain Times, What is Certain? I have been asking myself this question again since this pandemic became a part of our lives: what is certain? I know what I know about uncertain times. I have had many in my 40 years. I have had to grieve the mortality of my mother, my aunt and best friend, and my grandmothers and grandfathers on both sides of my family. I have had to consider my own mortality on many occasions as I have been challenged with an incurable form of chronic cancer. I know my story is not special, necessarily. I know that many can say they have experienced worse. I share this story of mortality only to shine light on how in each experience this question of certainty emerged and emerges again for me. Considering what is certain is for me a rock in the mucky water of life and death. If we have not practiced feeling the intensities of life or had to feel them to the degree that we are feeling them right now, right now may be even more challenging. If you’ve numbe

Have you been in bliss today? Last week? Most of you would probably answer "NO!" right now. Nothing is perfect right now. I get it. I often find myself saying something is bliss when I think that it feels perfect. But, let's question: is that really the only place that bliss is, in perfection? As I grapple with the term and this time in history, I realize that I have used this term ignorantly. For this, let us consider: What is perfect? Is bliss only when something feels perfect in the moment?  And if so, is bliss something that comes and goes with the rise and fall of experience? Where is the bliss?  Michael Jackson once said that “[o]ut of the bliss comes magic, wonderment and creativity.” Deepak Chopra shares that “[n]othing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real.” Bliss does sound perfect in these instances. But, then, I still don’t know what it is. And, how do we reach it? Is it something even to be reached?