Every time I teach a Yoga class I begin with a sitting meditation. Then we all connect. We connect to ourselves and to each other. We sit together and become aware. We start with becoming fully aware of our breath and bodies. Because we are in a yoga class, cell phones have been turned off, the door has been shut and everyone is in prime position to become fully present and honestly aware.
This is the practice. We gather together to give ourselves the opportunity to become fully present in our bodies and fully aware. Yoga practice includes the movement of the body and the practice of asana (poses) but to be able to perform all the poses is not the goal of the practice. We begin with asana practice in order to focus and to still our minds. When we still our minds we have the opportunity to be fully present. Coming into the present moment gives us the opportunity to be fully aware of what is and to come to a place of honesty with ourselves
There is, on the mat, an opportunity to be fully aware of ourselves and to be truly honest with ourselves about something fairly non threatening; the asana. To attempt to make a trikonasana (triangle pose) with my body is a mental and physical endeavor that I have been doing for several years now and it only remains beneficial to me if I am willing to be aware of how it really is in that moment. If I fool myself into believing that the asana is "right" and that I have "mastered" the pose, it ceases serving me and my practice becomes less valuable; in fact in becomes fruitless. However, if I come into the present moment and become fully aware of my body from head to toe.....honestly; intuition comes to me about where my body is in space and I'm able to make subtle changes that take me deeper into my practice and my practice is more and more fulfilling. There is a clear connection made for me regarding the benefit of honest awareness; I can feel the difference.
Believe it or not, this practice on my mat has given me, and countless others, a road map for awareness in life. To live life in full awareness and self honesty is my ultimate goal and I have a long way to go in this endeavor but to be in the process is quite satisfying. This practice allows me to become honestly aware about where I am in all of life; work, family, friends, ect.... and just like on my mat, intuition comes and I am able to make subtle changes in living and life begins to serve me rather than me serving it.
Surely, I have many obstacles in life, as we all do, but I have become convinced that to bring awareness to everything I do in life leads to change....... subtle, slow, and maybe only perceptible to me; but if it is perceptible to me........
I can feel the difference. I highly recommend it!
This is the practice. We gather together to give ourselves the opportunity to become fully present in our bodies and fully aware. Yoga practice includes the movement of the body and the practice of asana (poses) but to be able to perform all the poses is not the goal of the practice. We begin with asana practice in order to focus and to still our minds. When we still our minds we have the opportunity to be fully present. Coming into the present moment gives us the opportunity to be fully aware of what is and to come to a place of honesty with ourselves
There is, on the mat, an opportunity to be fully aware of ourselves and to be truly honest with ourselves about something fairly non threatening; the asana. To attempt to make a trikonasana (triangle pose) with my body is a mental and physical endeavor that I have been doing for several years now and it only remains beneficial to me if I am willing to be aware of how it really is in that moment. If I fool myself into believing that the asana is "right" and that I have "mastered" the pose, it ceases serving me and my practice becomes less valuable; in fact in becomes fruitless. However, if I come into the present moment and become fully aware of my body from head to toe.....honestly; intuition comes to me about where my body is in space and I'm able to make subtle changes that take me deeper into my practice and my practice is more and more fulfilling. There is a clear connection made for me regarding the benefit of honest awareness; I can feel the difference.
Believe it or not, this practice on my mat has given me, and countless others, a road map for awareness in life. To live life in full awareness and self honesty is my ultimate goal and I have a long way to go in this endeavor but to be in the process is quite satisfying. This practice allows me to become honestly aware about where I am in all of life; work, family, friends, ect.... and just like on my mat, intuition comes and I am able to make subtle changes in living and life begins to serve me rather than me serving it.
Surely, I have many obstacles in life, as we all do, but I have become convinced that to bring awareness to everything I do in life leads to change....... subtle, slow, and maybe only perceptible to me; but if it is perceptible to me........
I can feel the difference. I highly recommend it!
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