With the popularity of the Tough Mudder and other similar races in the United States, I saw a powerful image of a body pulling itself up out of the muck and I was fascinated by who these participants were and what inspired them to pursue such an endeavor. It stirred a question within me, “What am I made of?”.
I wondered if I had what it took to do a race like that. Then I remembered the truth… that we are all one. I started to look for all the ways that we are the same, instead of the ways that we appear to be different. Then I realized that actually the races are something that we can all relate to on one level or another.
This work in clay represents courage, strength and determination to pull oneself up and move forward in life through the challenges…ultimately bringing joy and sport to the journey of life. It also reminds me of the lotus pose in yoga and one of the many Sanskrit words for lotus is pankajam, which means, “that which is born out of the muck or mud.”
The lotus flower grows in the swamp but rises above it, sitting on top of the mire so that it is not sullied by the swamp it came from. The lotus flower also gets it’s nutrients through the mud. Like the lotus flower, the challenges that we experience in life are actually nurturing us to reach for the sky. They are a gift and serve a purpose if we are willing to look and find the gold.
My desire is that you will see this piece as a reminder that you have the power to raise your consciousness and pull yourself “out of the muck” in your own life to flourish. It is a moment-by-moment choice that is yours! Peace comes when you allow the process to unfold and celebrate each of those moments as an honor and privilege.
