Yoga = Life

It's not your job to like me... that's my job. ~ Will Blunderfield

The picture above was the first sunset of this year at the inlet near my house. The quote I found today. Both bring me a smile, joy and peace... very much like yoga. I'm writing to practice for the many assignments that will be due in February for the completion of my certification in Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy.... or maybe to procrastinate on the one I should be writing ;) Actually I just needed to write something other than a report right now and clear my head a bit.

The reason for the title is all of this. Yoga truly is life and life truly is yoga. What I've found on the mat transfers to life and what I find in life transfers to the mat. Yoga is union. Not in the way of uniting with something or causing two things to unite, but, as Michael Stone puts it, "the recognition, in the present moment, of the unification of life."

One of the ways I see yoga within life is through edges. In life I find edges and get to choose how to be with them. I could avoid them, get upset about them, push through them or play with them to find out what they may hold. The idea of my comfort zone, in yoga and life, is that when I step to the edge of it and see it as play, I find ways to grow and expand, maybe new ways of being and often liberation of some kind... perhaps from limiting beliefs.

Bringing this all to the present moment, with the assignment that I have due on Wednesday, another "surprise" assignment and all the rest that is to be done this week, I am watching my thoughts and choosing how to play the edge of "can I do it?" From here I get to see that I can. I already know this and once it's all done I will have expanded my notion of my abilities. This happens on the mat when there is a posture that holds the same edge. With both, there's not really a "problem" which is how the mind will sometimes look at edges, but more an opportunity. It's not the end of the world if I don't get it all done or if I don't achieve a posture, only another layer of edge ;)

Core assets... yoga... 'nough said :)

Yoga = Self-Love

Yoga is self-love. ~ Swami Dayananda

On this day of oneness, I was inspired when I found the quote above in my yoga meditations calendar. This easily became the theme for three of my classes today. The fourth class was Yoga 101. I have a set theme of awareness for the first day of this class. I see these two, self-love and awareness, as blending very well. In order to offer self-love, I must first be aware of when I am not and how I can offer it to myself. An awareness of how each thought, action or word feels for me brings a realization of which is loving.

I love to watch students progress from their first yoga class to many and see the awareness grow. In myself I have seen the way I would sometimes push myself into a posture for the sake of getting to where I thought I should be. Now I see that I take my time and offer my body space to explore each posture in the way that feels best in that moment. If my body says no to something in some way, then I lovingly back off and accept where I am in that moment... knowing that it changes, sometimes within a few deep breaths. 

I find that when I gently enter a posture and take the time to let my body adjust to it, my body is much more likely to go deeper into the posture or at least to enjoy where it is. With force comes reaction or counter force. Since mind and body are one, it's best when they both agree about where to be. Oh how this can be brought off the mat in so many ways! I love yoga for that and so much more. For the self-love that it is I am grateful. Which reminds me... with all the teaching today, I have yet to find my own practice. A gentle bed-time practice will be my act of self-love tonight. Tell me what you love about yoga :)

Core assets... self-love and awareness... in no particular order.