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.
Read MoreEvery experience we have creates a groove and a story in our psyche, a belief about ourself, another person, or a situation. And the more experiences we have that reinforce the story, the deeper the groove becomes, until we don't even realize the pattern is the result of a story at all - we simply accept the belief or behavior as truth. In yoga, our stories, our scars, are called "Samskaras". Samskaras are deep wounds - and they don't have to be the result of something traumatic or even wrong, but they certainly can be and often are.
Read MoreDespite the minimal physical effort it takes to lay flat on my mat, eyes closed, body unmoving, Shavasana has never been an easy pose for me. I squirm and I fidget. I anticipate when we will be allowed to come out. My body is not used to laying still. My mind is not used to being languid and undramatic.
Forcing myself to stay in Shavasana requires a letting go of my conditioned need to do something, to go somewhere, and to be someone.
Read MoreOur true Self might be fighting to come out lately, and under normal circumstances, it already battles our ego for our attention. During times of stress, when we allow ourselves to slip into fearful behavior, the ego gains even more power, and our intuition takes a back seat. So how can you tell the difference? Your ego will be worried, afraid, self-criticizing, and anxious.
Read MoreWhen we surrender, we release the burden of needing to know all the answers. We release our grip on whether or not we are doing the right thing, because we understand there is only so much we can do. We can remain vigilant and still surrender. We can take care of ourselves, our loved ones, our health, and the health of others, in ways that make sense to us. But we don’t need to obsess over the unknown because we leave that part up to something bigger. As a world, we are being asked to humbly surrender in this moment. We are being challenged to prepare as best we can, and then wait.
Read MoreDuring this tender time of necessary physical isolation, we can come together in soul and in spirit. This may be the silver lining to this devastating outbreak. It’s possible we are on the cusp of a great awakening, and a shift in our hearts and our values of what it means to be American.
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