Blessings to everyone.
This is a precious time.
The shortest days/longest nights present us with a lush germination period of new beginnings that we can begin to experience right now.
This is by no means a dormant time, it is fraught with potential for change. Now is when we allow ourselves more time to turn inward,
to truly observe ourselves so that we can conserve and create energy
within ourselves, for ourselves.
The energy that we save through careful observation instead of reaction, both during our yoga practice and outside our yoga practice, is a most valuable commodity. It is the paste that exquisitely binds our observations and actions to all the teachings we receive – it’s the very fruit of all of our practices.
To clarify further, in our lives, when we observe ourselves carefully in a situation, we may see that we’ve really been reacting to a person or a situation itself rather than formulating our own opinion about it and acting from that choice.
Once we can see that, we can sense our physical and emotional response as we are beginning to react. Then we can pause, hold our reaction to ourselves, and likely avert an unnecessarily negative experience. In so doing we create that ‘paste’, a nectar within ourselves, an awareness, one we can cultivate and use again and again.
In our yoga practice we can do exactly the same exercise.
Think of the most recent time a pose was taught that challenged you. Did you immediately hear yourself saying you couldn’t do it…
or did you attempt to help your body by using your mind to be supportive?
Next time, check out your reaction.
Don’t ever deny yourself a chance to go deeper into your experience, yoga or otherwise.
Use your will to support the effort of your body, use your heart to love your work, and focus on yourself. It’s exactly like an emotional version of muscular energy, the second principle of Anusara Yoga. We embrace ourselves by observing, by respecting, by honoring, bringing our awareness closer to our center and acting more clearly from within ourselves rather than reacting to what comes from without.
You will create an imprint upon your being that will never be forgotten by your body, your mind nor your heart.
As our teacher Douglas Brooks points out, our fears, doubts and frustrations are indeed like gifts, tightly wrapped, with love — simply unpack them slowly, investigate carefully, and enjoy the process of unwrapping (!).
We all have so much to be grateful for. Watch yourself carefully, there is room to grow and help yourself be more contented and softer in every moment. And welcome the challenges, they are helping you unfold your truth.
Share this self-knowledge with someone you love, not by reading it to them nor by sending it to them… by simply practicing it in your interactions.
ENRICH ANOTHER’S LIFE AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED.
THE SIZE OF THE REWARDS WILL MIRROR THE VALUE WE BRING TO OTHER LIVES.
With so much love and sincere gratitude for your support this year,
elena, lynn and the staff of virayoga
