Here are some thoughts I've had in the past few years of Hatha yoga practice.
What applies to the body applies to the mind. And vice versa, I suppose, though I haven't thought about that much yet. Physical balance parallels emotional balance, for example. The internal is the external.
Balance is not static. You don't just arrive at balance and stay there. Balance is dynamic, constantly adjusting and changing.
Don't postpone joy. Do not hesitate to relax. Take that deep breath now, not in a minute, not in a second, now.
Let go on the exhalation. It is good to learn how to let go in various situations; not just when relaxing, but when under stress also.
Forget about that last pose. Whether what you just did went well or not, don't dwell on it, don't go over it in your mind at the expense of being here, now. Let go of the pose. However it happened is how it is.
You can breathe between the poses. During the poses, you might be able to pay attention to the breath. You might be able to coordinate the motion with the cycle of inhalation and exhalation. You can also continue this coordination throughout the practice, between poses, when you're putting away your water bottle, when you're scratching an itch on your ear, when you're preparing for the next pose. It's an interesting awareness practice.
You don't have to go past "beginner." I've been taking only beginner level classes. It's odd how poses that I found easy a few years ago are "getting harder" - I think I'm doing them with a different mindset. More attention? Getting more out of them? In any case, I could do these same poses for the rest of my life because, well, see next:
You're always different. Your energy level, flexibility, soreness, breath, hunger level, attention, emotions, thoughts, weight, etc. vary! You're not exactly the same from minute to minute, or from week to week. It's interesting to observe the changes over time.
You're not symmetrical, either. The pose that was easy on one side may be challenging on the other side.
Bring yourself kindly back to the breath. Your attention will wander, that's the nature of thoughts. When you notice it, just gently, firmly, and lovingly bring your attention back to the breath. Don't beat yourself up for having wandered; if anything, appreciate yourself for having noticed and returned.
Let go of what the pose is Supposed to be. This isn't about pushing yourself into some preconceived idea of how the pose should be, or making sure it looks right. Do what works for you.
Staying in the pose is only one third of it. Getting into the pose is also one third of it, and getting out of the pose is another third. Do these with attention also.
Relaxation is important. It gives you the chance to soak up the benefits of all your hard work.
You do not have to be flexible to do yoga. That's kind of like saying "you don't have to speak Spanish already to sign up for the Introductory Spanish class." You don't have to eat before going out for dinner. You don't have to have an MD in order to get into medical school.
Use what you need for support. Can't kneel down and sit on your feet right now? That's okay. Put some padding between your thighs and your feet, see if that helps. That makes it better but still not quite doable? No problem, add a little more padding. There's nothing wrong with using props to make the pose comfortable. Challenge yourself, still, of course... but rather than not doing a pose or hurting yourself trying, modify the pose to make it do-able.
Just notice, without criticism or trying to change. This might not be easy. We see something, we say we don't like it, we try to change, that's habit. In yoga, see if you can just notice, and let it be. You do not have to respond in the way that comes up "automatically," (she says, scratching an itch as she types).
Many of these insights were handed to the class by our instructor, Ann Bissanti. Ann is a joy to practice yoga with; if you are in the Worcester, MA, area, and interested in yoga, seek her out. The place where I take classes, Amethyst Point, can tell you more about her schedule. They are at 508-753-3975.
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This page last revised Thu Jul 27 02:25:43 EDT 2000 by leaf