Yoga- The Practise

I began my morning today with a 3-hour Yoga class. It is the first class I’ve taken since my month in India in October. Since then, I’ve been practising every day on my own. I am happy to have established my own personal daily Yoga practise. I enjoy practising independently, and, sometimes, even sharing it with others.

I ponder the concept of Yoga being a ‘practice’.  If we practise something, what are we practising it for? Usually we practise to get better at something. What is it that I want to ‘get better’ at? Yoga is a way of life. Practising Yoga helps me improve the way I live. This is what I mean…

Pushing my limits. Sometimes, Yoga postures are challenging. I am constantly striving to push myself just a little bit harder. I reach a stage of comfort in my activities, and, when I settle into that comfort for a while, I become more ready to ‘move on’. When I become too comfortable, I’m not growing anymore. I want to push myself through to the next step. When I become too settled in a position in my life, I am ready for change. When I feel ready to grow professionally, I enrol in new courses, or attend conferences to expand my possibilities and learning. Not moving usually leads me to complacency. I want to continue to improve, to expand, and to grow. It requires patience and openness.

Balance! I recognize the relationship between my balancing postures in Yoga and creating balance in my life.  When my days are hectic and busy and rushed, I find it challenging to focus on the evenness between my right and left sides. Basic equilibrium in simple postures is difficult to maintain. I recognize the need to be quiet, to focus and to breath deeply. I have to settle, concentrate and go inside to find stability and calm. Some days it is easier to that than others. Isn’t it true?

Our Gabriola Paradise

Connecting with Nature. I am wondering if I will ever again be satisfied with practising Yoga indoors. Sometimes my motivation comes from knowing that as I practise, I will be communing with my natural surroundings. The sounds of the early birds in India still resound in my brain. The mountains of Lake Atitlan and, in particular, the volcano of San Pedro envelope me as I move or meditate or unravel into my headstand or other inversions. I welcome the opportunity to connect to the Nature that surrounds me, and to embrace it and feel her embrace in return. Gabriola also offers a warm haven for Yoga practise, the canopy of old trees protecting me and wrapping me with its living, breathing green. I am reminded of the gift that Nature offers and the desire I have to live here. It is Nature that provides me strength and joy, not material things and possessions.

Ahimsa! ”No harm”.  ‘Doing’ Yoga is an opportunity to see the wholeness of our world.  While moving through the postures I make an effort to connect my body, mind and heart with the cosmos. We are all a part of this universe… animals, plants, oceans and lakes, the planets and stars, the moon and sun, all exist harmoniously, and enhance each other’s existence. We are here together in co-existence. When I am practising Yoga, I feel an enhanced sense of love for others. When my practise is finished, I feel the desire to connect with those around me, to bow gently and share a humbling greeting of ‘Namaste’. “I acknowledge and celebrate the divine in you.” Sometimes I need to remind myself to express the respect and love that I feel for those around me, and to share that expression with sincerity and gratitude. Practising helps me to become better at that expression and more comfortable with sharing those thoughts.

Flexibility. I am learning how to stretch! Sometimes in my life, events don’t happen the way I had planned. Often, this results in feelings of disappointment, regret, or even sadness. Upon reflection and with intent, I meditate to see these things differently. I try to listen with my head and heart, and see other perspectives so that satisfaction isn’t just about the way I think. My mother taught my brothers and me how to slice a grapefruit. “You have to cut it in half this way,” she would instruct us, ”and then loosen the pieces.” I am learning that my mother wasn’t 100% right. There are many ways to slice a grapefruit! It all depends on ‘how’ you want to taste it! In Yoga, if I settle into a posture, and feel that I have reached my limit, I just stay there, and breath into it, and, inevitably, I am able to push further. It’s about listening and maintaining an open heart. It’s about avoiding judgement, withholding my own opinions, and simply listening. I just accept and celebrate the alternatives.

 

Trust. Before I learned my scorpion position, I had to learn how to fall gracefully.  Performing inverted postures presents challenge, and sometimes, risk. I need to feel comfortable collapsing, because, sometimes, I do. Giving myself permission to not succeed is allowing myself to be imperfect. I make mistakes, and, sometimes, I need to say "I'm sorry." and try again. I am learning to appreciate my falls backward, and love that stretch into a backbend that happens when I ‘fall’ out of my posture.

Appreciation! When my practice is over, I am grateful. My chanting and meditation is about giving thanks... to myself, to my body, to my loved ones and neighbours, and to God, my natural surroundings and the universe that provides me this space and this life! Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.