Vibes for the Practice

What I jammed out to during my primary series today--'flow' by venstsang and 'power yoga' by callierose on 8tracks http://8tracks.com/venustsang/flow

Power Yoga from callirosee on 8tracks Radio.

Flow from venustsang on 8tracks Radio.

Showing Up for Change

        I really wasn’t feeling the primary series today, but I had an epiphany, as I was moving swiftly through the poses: how much my practice has morphed into this living breathing entity that I have to wrestle with. When I first started, it was as if the practice was outside myself—like an acquaintance that I would pretend to know really well.
       But if there is one thing yoga has taught me, it is that change is slow. At first your body awkwardly transitions, vinyasas are tiresome and headstand seems like another planet. But with weeks, months, years even, you’ll one day be practicing and recognize that old hurts are now rejuvenating—the breath always brings you back.
       The hard part about yoga, similar to life, is that you have to show up to the mat, put in the hours, the breaths, the sun salutes, the vinyasas, the forward folds, the twists, the inversions, the warriors, the backbends. In order for any change to truly happen, we have to show up in yoga just like we have to show up in life. One day you will wake up to find you can breath a little easier—and what once seemed painful and impossible was a blessing in disguise.
        We have to confront our aches and pains, our not-so-limber lower backs and hamstrings. The point is, we have to feel things out, work at them and be patient. Change in life, like change in the body happens when we stop focusing on the goal and dance with the uncomfortable present.

I'm Just Here for the Savasana

   Even though all of us yogis at times rush towards the tranquility of savasana, there is value in wrestling with each present pose. To enjoy the unremitting flux of effort and release as opposed to focusing your energy on a linear ‘resting point’ is an ineffable lesson, one that especially us ‘westerners’ should incorporate into life and practice.

   First off, Mysore rocks my freaking socks off. It is the BEST way to start the day, get that energy flowing and center my mind. I’ve been working with my drop-back/come-up for backbends for a while now and have noticed a certain ‘mental block’ that I must get past. My teacher told me that I have am totally capable of dropping back and coming up without her help, but I just have to get past the fear.
  It seems that the Ashtanga primary series is full of these mental blocks: “I can’t do that,”“that pose is too crazy for me,”“I’m scared I’ll fall,”“I am blind to the space I need to focus on in order to do this,”“what’s the point of practicing if I know I’ll never be able to do some things?”“I’m exhausted,”“I’d rather sleep that go to mysore,” et cetera.
   The practice is so much more than the physical movements. The more you get in tune with your body, you believe in yourself and the extent of your vigor. You become more patient and loving with yourself in the process—titibasana doesn’t happen in a day.
   We confront these psychological barriers in life everyday. Cognitive scripts played on repeat to the bane of our contentment. Yet despite all the mental blocks you had to confront, simply showing up to the mat is the active expression of belief in yourself and in life. By refocusing your energy on the gifts of the present, of the breath, of the practice, you are empowering your mind and body to confront the obstacles inherent in life and in yoga.