Confidence

In preparation for yoga teacher training, I've been reading a lot about science, anatomy and other things outside my ken. Despite my fears to the contrary, careful attention to the words on the page, handy reference resources and friends willing to answer questions about neural cells are helping me to learn the material.

Vague memories of secondary three science with Mr. Karwatsky are also proving to be useful.

Here are the three most interesting things I've learned this week:

• In an article about the social life of plants, science reporter Carol Kaesuk Yoon writes: The sea rocket, researchers report, can distinguish between plants that are related to it and those that are not. And not only does this plant recognize its kin, but it also gives them preferential treatment.

• In Anatomy Trains, author Thomas Myer writes: Muscle is elastic, fascia is plastic. Stretched, a muscle will attempt to recoil back to its resting length. ... Fascia does not 'snap back' - although over time and given the opportunity, it will lay down new fibers which will rebind the area.

• To attract females, the male Australian bowerbird (thanks g :) builds a bower with a variety of collected objects. The bird spends hours sorting and arranging his collection of shells, leaves, flowers, feathers and stones. No two bowers are the same, and each reflects the personal taste of each bird.
  

You don't have to understand anything about plants or muscles to grasp this one thing: nature has equipped all of us with what we need. Plants protect their own. Our bodies know how to compensate and heal. Birds know what it takes to attract a mate.

And yet, as humans we doubt ourselves all the time. We second-guess everything. Will my brother and I reconcile? Will I finally lose those last ten pounds? Does he like me? We spend too much time worrying about the things that we cannot predict and not enough time trusting in our inherent ability to thrive and survive.

We cannot know the answers to any of those questions. We cannot predict the feelings of others or how situations will ultimately play themselves out. We can however trust in what nature gave us.

You know that you want to reconcile with your sibling because you recognize the importance of family.

You know that you can lose the weight because if you help it along, your body will know what to do.

You know how you feel about him because he builds beautiful "bowers" of actions and words that make you smile.

So just do it. Pick up the phone. Throw your arms around his neck. Drop the cupcake. And just trust that nature will provide.