A PRAYER FOR THE PERFECTIONIST by Krista Katrovas

This poem was inspired by a true transformational yoga teacher, and all that he continues to teach...

A Prayer for the Perfectionist 

by Krista Katrovas

We need not try so hard

even though we’ve been taught

to push, pull, strive,

we only land in those worn out places, 

the space where exhaustion and hurt resides. 

Let us worship the divine living within us all,

by honoring our limitations,

our boundaries, 

where moving slowly and mindfully,

becomes our meditation,

where we grow to know the true meaning

of loving our body temple. 

Let us remember our feet,

how we connect to Mother Earth,

and connect to our inner animal,

and, “Let the animal body, love what it loves.”

It’s time to let our tails waggle, 

to free the sacred, the sacrum,

to awaken our creative energy,

and free it from the chains of dirtiness 

the world so often has painted it as being.  

Let our breath be soft,

encourage life force to shine through each cell,

rather than always 

needing to control it,

and allow it to be a salve 

to heal what it needs to heal.  

Let us look upon the world

with a softened gaze,

like the view of a mother 

towards her newborn,

and let the jaw relax,

so kind words can be released from our lips.  

Humble our hearts in reverence

for that which makes us want to skip

down the sidewalk

rather than dragging our feet,

and let us take time to listen

to all that surfaces within

without judgment, expectation, 

or need to control.

Let us come to know 

a profound sense of awe

simply by embracing 

the reality of change.

How precious every moment truly is. 

Let us be easy, to melt into easy,

like once hardened honey heated for drizzling 

over the tip of a Shiva lingam.  

Let this deep ego attachment to our bodies

release, and come to know the spirit,

through our vessel,

the living within us all: 

 A~ womb- men.

Krista Katrovas (E-RYT) has dedicated herself to the practice, study and teaching of yoga since discovering it in 1999 after dancing rigorously as a dance major in college. Krista has had scores of articles on Yoga, Wellness, and Spirituality published in nationally regulated magazines. She has a regular column at Elephant Journal here. She has taught Yoga in Prague every July since 2009 and has been sought to teach in Kuwait, Canada, Virginia, California, Kentucky, and Florida. She calls Kalamazoo, Michigan home, where she teaches Yoga, Meditation, offers Spiritual guidance, and practices Shamanism. She has cats, though also loves dogs, all animals. Her power animal is the Snowy Owl. Visit her yoga website here.

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