Namaste Necklace

I grabbed my necklace from the bathroom counter intending to put it on before going to the market. I noticed the leather cord was tangled so I gave it a little tug. Instead of straightening the cord, as I had hoped, I broke it in half. I stood staring at the two pieces of broken cord, willing them to go back together but knowing that was impossible. As I took one last look in the mirror, the space just above my collar bones looked naked. I grabbed a scarf and left the apartment.

I’ve heard stories of people’s lives flashing in front of them during a near-death experience. This was not so dramatic. After all, it was a necklace, not my life. However, my thoughts jumped back 22 years to when Joanie, a yoga student and friend, gave me the necklace. She purchased it from a craftsperson, an artist in Washington.

The thin leather cord had a rectangular silver charm printed with the word Namaste and an amethyst and a crystal bead hanging from it. The cord was knotted just above the shiny charm keeping it in the middle of the necklace even when I was moving. Like many yoga teachers, I finish each class with “Namaste”  which roughly translates as, “The light in me recognizes the light in you.”

Not only was I touched by the fact that Joanie bought me a gift, it was the perfect necklace to wear while teaching yoga. The cord was just the right length and didn’t get in the way even when I was upside down in headstand. In fact, I have worn the necklace almost every day since I received it. I replaced the leather cord one other time when it broke a few years ago but this time felt different.

This time, I looked at the ripped cord and felt loss. I didn’t cry, but I did spit out a word that made Wilma think she might get a treat if she would “Sit.”  It wasn’t until that moment that I realized the necklace had come to represent my connection not only to Joanie but to my entire yoga community in Washington. Every morning when I put it on, I felt connected to every other time I’ve worn it to teach a yoga class, to lead teacher training, to chant mantra in a kirtan, or to go on a walk with a friend. It wasn’t a fancy necklace but it fit my casual lifestyle.  When you work in bare feet and stretchy pants, you don’t need flashy diamonds!

As I walked to the market, I wondered why the broken cord had impacted me so strongly this morning. I’m just coming down off of the excitement of three months of retreats and visitors. Honestly, the apartment has felt a little too quiet for me this week.  I have lots of new friends as well as yoga and Spanish classes to keep me busy. And yet, I’ve been feeling the distance from my friends and community in Washington State more than ever.

The nine-hour time difference makes picking up the phone to chat feel like an event that needs to be scheduled, taking away the spontaneity I crave with my friends. Often when I think of something silly I want to tell a friend, I discover it is the middle of the night on the west coast. By the time my friend is having her morning coffee, the moment has passed and it no longer seems important to share the random tidbit.

I found myself thinking of the red thread that Dhaval, an East Indian friend of mine, wore for a while. He told me that during Raksha Bandha, a Hindu and secular festival, his sister tied a thread, called a rahki, on his wrist as a symbol of familial love. The knots in the red thread symbolized his sister’s love and wishes for protection. I wondered if he felt a similar sense of loss when it eventually wore out and fell off? Maybe he no longer needed the thread to remind him of his sister’s love.

The imgage of a red thread also shows up in Japan as Akai Ito, the Red Thread of Fate.  Picture the blood vessels that connect your heart to your pinky finger. (This physical pathway is said to explain why we wrap together pinky fingers when we want to make a sacred vow!) The Japanese legend says that we are connected by a red thread emanating from the heart that flows out of your pinky finger and connects and intertwines with the heart strings of those with whom we are destined to be in a deep soul friendship. As a result of this invisible connection, we eventually recognize those who are our Anam Cara (Celtic for Friend of the Soul). Unlike the rahki or my necklace, this soul connection can be stretched but cannot be broken.

While thankfully we have no memory of the moment our umbilical cords are severed, I know that for many new mothers the initial separation is felt as grief as well as joy. Obviously, without this broken cord, the baby cannot begin its new life outside of the womb. This symbolism while more dramatic than necessary,  reminded me that I needed to let go of my attachments not only to my necklace but my old life if I want to find happiness in the new life we are creating here. This doesn’t mean I have to completely cut my ties to the past or even stop thinking about my old friends and community, but rather accept that my life has to change to make room for this new direction we’ve chosen.

Luckily, my dark mood changed as quickly as the weather does here in Asturias. By the time I greeted Cris and Rosa Maria, my favorite veggie stand ladies, the heavy feeling had faded. On my market list were some fall veggies whose Spanish names I was not sure of. The veggie ladies are always up for teaching me a Spanish lesson and enjoy learning the English equivalent, as well. Ten minutes later, I had a bag full of col de Bruselas (Brussel Sprouts), a big bunch of berza (if chard and collard greens had a baby), 6 chirivías (parsnips), 4 patatas rubias (sweet potatoes) and 6 zanahorias (carrots.) Roasted veggie season has officially arrived!

As for my Namaste necklace…I’ll look for an artist who can create a new cord for me. I’ll still have my favorite necklace but now it will symbolize my ability to connect both the old and the new.

Notes from the Author:

For more about the Japanese Legend of the Red Thread of Fate: https://nikhilrajan48.medium.com/the-red-thread-of-fate-35c1a55c2876

Curious about Raksha Bandhan? : https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raksha_Bandhan

Some of my favorite moments are the connections we create while on a retreat. Want to join me on an adventure in 2022? http://www.globalyogatrips.com