Asana

I was on a conference call for my corporate job.  I asked a question and my co-worker rudely responded.  I restated my verbiage, thinking that perhaps the intent behind my inquiry was misunderstood.  My co-worker antagonistically dismissed me.

And I sat there with a smile on my face.  I was peaceful.  Non-reactive.

For those who have met me in person, I can be a firecracker.  I am passionate about the work I do (both corporate and yoga).  I am a feeler.

My default pattern of behavior would have allowed the frustration felt internally after such a response flood my emotions.  I would have bit back.  I would have taken it personally and obsessed over it.  This time, I acknowledged the discomfort that arose inside of me, sat with it and let it dissipate.

I have found that through my asana work, I can ground quickly in most stressful situations.  This is profound.

Giving attention to the physical body can allow you to create a steady seat.  This seat is our heart/mind connection, a position we can take when interacting with the world. 

Most of us came to yoga through asana, the physical practice.  I have heard many say that this is not true yoga, at least how it presents in the West.

I wholeheartedly disagree.

How can you condemn a gateway that brings the true nature of Yoga to so many?  How amazing is it to discover something more by just showing up on the mat with the initial goal of external self-improvement?  That desire to improve strength, increase flexibility, to be in good health.  All of this can be applied to the mind and how we interact with the world around us off the mat.

The asana work is where I confronted my mind chatter and looked at my ego straight in the face.

Every day there is a battle, whether it is a challenging pose for my body, or my monkey-mind in full swing while working through the postures.

How humbling is it to fall out of a pose.  How exhilarating is it to feel your breath in alignment with movement that allows you to experience the full expression of that particular asana within your body.  It is that discovery of equilibrium between effort and surrender that gives you that moment of stillness.  Quiet.  Peace.

My body changes.  Through aging, through injury, through hard work….the physical postures bring forth that acknowledgment that we are always in flux.  How we react during our physical practice, through effort and surrender shows up in our day to day interactions outside of our sanctuary of the asana work.  It is through our bodies that we experience the world around us, staying curious, open, aware, mindful, tuned in…all of that.

I often hear new students say they are not flexible. 

Are you flexible in the mind?  Are you open to the discovery?