The idea was first presented by Edward Lorenz, an American mathematician and meteorologist, that the flap of a butterfly may affect the formation of a tornado in Texas. Scientifically this is based in the chaos theory. Scientifically this means that events are highly sensitive to the initial conditions. I believe I have felt this effect in my life. 

Many times I have doubts on the importance of my daily events. How it is that in my commute honking the horn may affect the day’s events, mine or the other person’s? How does smiling to the clerk at the coffee shop (although I do not drink coffee!), or the stranger in the elevator may have an effect in someone’s life, including myself? How can my little simple actions and thoughts may have any effect in the world? In MY world? 

What if I actually woke up and made a conscious decision to smile? What if I decided to be courteous to all drivers? Be polite and generous with all “strangers”? What if I held all other influencing factors in my live the same, except that one… I wonder what would truly happen? 

What if I just go deeper than my mind? I could just take a few seconds in the morning and breathe. I could fill my heart with gratefulness, devotion, with love. The mind will follow my heart. My small or big world might change. I can start being, as Mahatma Gandhi said, the change we need to see in the world. I have many times failed at this – ok, most often. But I know that life always presents an opportunity for improvement, where I can leave my ego behind, and focus on my heart. 

I see hope, in every yoga class, in every breath, in every person on their mats, in every vibration created in every class. Hope that that we all start changing our world. I see hope that we all begin taking healthy responsibility for the wellbeing of the bad driver or stranger in the elevator. I can have faith that the flapping of our wings, of one or two, together, will create a new whirlwind of kindness and love in our world.