Embracing Life’s Brilliant Moves: Hafiz’s Reminder to Dance
The Chessboard of Life:
Have you ever had one of those moments where everything just clicks? A moment so beautifully orchestrated that it feels like life itself is playing a grand game, and you’ve just been handed a winning move? That’s the essence of Hafiz’s poem Tripping Over Joy.
In an on-demand yoga class I filmed this week, I shared this incredible poem because it speaks to something we often forget: life is unfolding in divine perfection, even when we can’t see the full picture. Hafiz reminds us that God has already made a big, brilliant move in this grand chess game of life. The saint—the one who recognizes this—trips over joy, overcome by the sheer beauty of it all.
So, what does it mean to "trip over joy"? And how can we embody this wisdom in our yoga practice and daily lives? Let’s explore.
Seeing the Divine Move in Your Own Life
Imagine being so aligned with life’s rhythm that instead of struggling, resisting, or worrying, you simply allow yourself to be carried by the flow. In my opinion, Hafiz suggests that this is exactly what the wisest among us do. They recognize that there’s a divine intelligence at play—call it God, the universe, or simply the deep wisdom of life—and they trust it fully.
In yoga, we practice this kind of surrender every time we step onto the mat. Whether we’re easing into a challenging pose, breathing through discomfort, or allowing ourselves to rest fully in savasana, we are reminded that we don’t always have to control everything.
But let’s be honest—trusting the unseen can feel impossible, especially when life throws us curveballs. What if we could shift our perspective and see even our struggles as part of the divine chess game? What if the challenges are not setbacks but moves setting us up for something greater?
Yoga as a Practice of Joyful Surrender and Moving Through Life with Grace
In many ways, our yoga practice mirrors the dance of life. We start with structure—learning poses, breathing techniques, and alignment. But over time, something shifts. We begin to move from intuition rather than strict form. We start to feel the joy of movement, rather than just focusing on "getting it right" or “being perfect.”
This is where the real magic happens. When we stop forcing and start flowing, we trip over joy.
Think about the last time you were truly present on your mat. Maybe it was during a deep stretch, a moment of stillness in savsana, or that effortless transition between poses when your body felt light and free. Those moments of pure presence are glimpses of the divine move Hafiz speaks of.
And here’s the secret: we can carry that presence off the mat too.
How to Trip Over Joy in Everyday Life
1. Recognize the Divine Move
Take a moment to reflect: Where in your life has something worked out in an unexpected but beautiful way? Maybe it was a delay that led to a perfect opportunity. A difficult ending that paved the way for a better beginning. Recognizing these divine moves helps us build trust in life’s unfolding.
2. Shift from Struggle to Surrender
We often resist what life presents us, clinging to our own plans. But what if, instead of fighting, we softened? Just like in yoga, where we breathe through tension rather than force our way through, we can approach life with openness and trust.
3. Cultivate Joy in the Smallest Moments
Joy isn’t just found in grand achievements; it’s in the everyday magic. The warmth of the sun on your skin. The laughter of a friend. The deep exhale after a long day. The saint in Hafiz’s poem isn’t joyful because everything is perfect—he is joyful because he sees the perfection in everything.
4. Use Your Yoga Practice as a Reminder
Every time you step onto your mat, let it be a practice in surrender and joy. Instead of seeing your practice as something to "do perfectly," let it be an opportunity to be—to feel, to move, to breathe, and to trust.
The Final Move: Trusting Life’s Brilliance
Hafiz’s poem reminds us that we don’t have to figure everything out. The divine move has already been made, and our only task is to recognize it, surrender to it, and trip over the joy of it all.
So, as you move through your day, your yoga practice, and your life, ask yourself:
What if everything is already working out in my favor?
What if I allowed myself to surrender, trust, and—just for a moment—trip over joy?