How Yoga Works
“It is through our own inner work and exploration that we can best be of service to others and the world.”
Yoga teaches us so much more than poses and physical exercise. Before any physical movement, we begin each practice in stillness. We arrive seated, on our mat. We close our eyes as an invitation to turn inward and quiet the outside world. We breathe. We bring our attention to the inhale and the exhale, and use the breath as an anchor for our thought-producing mind.
The centering at the beginning of our practice tells our body and our nervous system to calm down, to settle in, and to let go.
Only after several minutes of stillness and breath do we begin to move. Slowly, we bend our spine. Mindfully, we stretch our limbs. With care and attention, we witness our body and all its sensations.
During any yoga practice, we might notice muscles that are tight or areas of the body that are sore and tender. We might also notice emotional tenderness - our heart space feels heavy on the inhale, our throat space feels tight and restricted, the space behind our eyes threatens to bring watery tears.
Acknowledging all these sensations is yoga in practice.
Yoga brings our awareness to our core - the truth of who we are. Our stress and our worries seep out while on the mat, and while moving ourself through postures. As we open different muscle groups and strengthen our physical form, waves of grief or joy may surface. As we practice, we might also open and strengthen different parts of ourself, our hidden secrets, our held pasts, and our deepest desires.
In a world with so much going on - internally, in our home life, in our work life, and in larger society, it's easy to forget ourself. It's easy to allow our body and our mental state to be pulled in all directions. We want to help. We want to give. We want to do our part. We have responsibilities that need tending.
In a busy life, we need to hold onto our personal truth and integrity, so that we stay in tact rather than come apart. Just as our center guides us to the best choices on our mat, it also tells us the next best action in our day-to-day. In a balance pose in yoga, the best way to stay upright is to engage the core, and to move and breathe from our center. In life, we must also move and breathe from this centered, knowing space.
The more we practice, the stronger we get. Poses become easier. Balance becomes attainable. Our emotional state is the same way - the more we practice honoring ourself, the easier life gets. No longer are we guilted into staying when our gut tells us to leave. No longer are we over-extended, when we know we need to back off.
With practice, taking care of ourself first becomes a natural behavior rather than an afterthought. WE are no longer an afterthought.
Before any big decision, or when the world appears to swirl and crest around you, you can return to yourself just like we do in yoga. You can pause, be still, and bring your attention to your breath. You can guide your awareness to your center, and ask yourself what you need. You can turn inward, before attempting to manage the outside world.
It is through our own inner work and exploration that we can best be of service to others and the world. Join me this February for RISE! A live, online yoga and writing retreat. Spots will fill up fast - register now!
Breath and stillness are powerful tools, and they guide you to the best solution when you use them. Or, with breath and stillness, you may realize there is no solution - nothing you need to strive for, do, or fix. Just being with yourself becomes enough, as you realize some outside stresses are not worth your energy.
