Remember Yoga is an inside job & there’s no such thing as can’t.
The word ‘asana’ is at the end of most yoga poses . It means “to sit” . The Yogis were referencing the mind ~ to practice in a way that you are learning to cultivate steadiness and ease with the contents of the mind. To not react to what the mind is saying.
This is Lisa a Yoga Teacher from SeaCrest Yoga Tasmania on our Retreat. I learned so much from Lisa just by observing how despite physical challenges she generated her own flow, doing all of the class seated on a chair.
Injuries can be the heaviest weights we put on the weight lifting bar of the mind especially when it starts having thoughts of wanting the body to be a certain way. All minds go through this to varying degrees throughout our life. To date I have not met anyone who hasn’t at some stage had a critical thought about their body or how it’s functioning.
The “Yoga” comes into it when we practice being okay with reality , especially the reality of ‘change’ . The mind at its most crazy will want to reject this Law of Nature (of change) and ‘fix-ate’ on how things use to be and want it to stay that way, for example.
There is a difference in the breath and how you feel when you are practising being open to change, and gentle with what you are noticing. Moving and placing things in a particular way according to what you are sensing. Seeing things as they are. This is the meaning of Vinyasa & Drishti (to flow in good relationship to what you find, seeing things with a particular point of view , ie as they are)
Sensing into things as they are feels different to reactivity of things as they are.
It doesn’t mean we don’t have judgemental thoughts . It means we are not taking action on them.
Lisa did this beautifully despite the crap going on in the mind, she stayed, moved gracefully even when resistance came up.
She was able to reflect on what state of mind helped and what didn’t . The biggest lesson was her humility & honesty (Truthfulness ~ Satya)
Humility to back off, to show up regardless and listen & honesty of acknowledging the reactivity (reactivity that is normal by the way)and saying Thank you to those she loves for giving space for things to be as they are.
Learning to be moderate and adjust to our experiences is the Yoga.
Your mind may say something is wrong with me but when you bring the Yoga into your Yoga you notice it and let yourself be.
Yoga Teachers at times more than anyone put more pressure on themselves to have to have the body do all of the poses.
When something is perceived as ‘going wrong with it’ that thought alone can send it into fight flight freeze or please mode.
Our injuries or physical challenges can be the messenger we need to guide us home.
Back to our “seat” where the mind regardless of the crazy thoughts of an ‘ideal’ body can find a throne.
A place of steadiness and ease does not come from having things go our own way.
It comes when we learn to let things (including us) be as they are and move from a place that respects that point in time ~ moment by moment.
Thanks Lisa for inspiring everyone.
A true reminder of no such thing as can’t but ~ I AM ABLE.
Namaste
Tammy