♥ Opening Your Heart to Yourself and Those Around You. ♥

The past few weeks I've set my class intention toward opening the heart.  We practiced heart openers such as Camel Pose and Side Angel Pose.  The classes focused on the Prana, the vitality of life and spirit.  We breathed into our heart, creating a little more space in the chest through our movements on the mat.  My students were slowly setting their hearts free.

I witnessed something that truly enveloped me as a teacher; pure, raw truth.  It was a beautiful experience.  Removing our hearts from our protectors, whether it be bars, a box or drape, can be tumultuous, shocking, soothing, and a relief, just to name a few.  Practice on your mat in a safe place, perhaps in your own home or with a teacher you trust. Let It Rip.  Succumb to your heart, let it take up more space in your body by exploring open poses and emotions.  Acknowledge what you feel.  Allow yourself to take your time through transitional poses and breath deep down into the belly, using your exhale as a release of tension, anxiety and judgement.  After several chest openers allowing your emotions to spiral through your body, find yourself on the other end in Svasana with a pillow under your heart.  Perhaps you are little more open to yourself and to others around you.

Rekindle the love you carry for yourself, let it radiate through your organs, and you will no doubt brighten another person's life.

An honest practice of Yoga, of union, for the world.

Transitions

I read an article the other day in Yoga Journal that mentioned using transitions as a focus in our Yoga practice.  I brought the idea into my next few Yoga classes as my intention (which I always tell my students) and noticed what a difference it made for both my students practice and for myself as a teacher.

We have a tendency to forget the small moments that make up our day.  It's a habit in which we lose ourselves on a regular basis.  What color was the sky when you looked out your window this morning?  How did your food sound and smell as you prepared breakfast?  What sorts of noises do you hear and scents so you smell when you leave your house?  I live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet and yet I still am guilty of losing my sense of self and how the world around me makes me feel as I jump in the car and head to my next Yoga class.  I shifted my presence this week.  I recognized the habits I've gotten into, acknowledged my every movement, slowed my thoughts and deepened my breath as I transitioned toward my next goal.  I restored the sense of beauty, calmness and serenity in my day to day life that I'd been missing.

Connecting your breath to as many moments as you can will begin to center you.  Your presence will take hold and move you through your transitions mindfully.  It will not only give you the strength to move forward, but will open your heart to the next pose, plan or event in your life.  Try it.  See what it can bring you.

Beginners Mind

Without making a change just yet, take a moment and notice your posture.  Are your shoulders slouched forward?  Does this cause a pain in your lower back or your neck?  Are your eyes straining because you're too far from the screen or aren't wearing your glasses?  Are your lips pursed, tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth, teeth tightly shut?  Notice if you're holding something in your body that isn't benefiting you right now.  Where are your hands, do they need to be placed that way to read this or could they be more relaxed?  

An Unconscious  Choice

Now, choose one thing that you've realized is unnecessary for you right now.  Recognize why you're holding yourself this way.  Are you protecting something?  Is it because of what someone said to you today?  Or is it just habit? 

A Conscious Choice

Now, make the conscious choice to let it go.  If you're slouched, choose to bring your shoulders back and down.  If your fingers are over the keyboard ready to type place them on your lap relaxed.  If your leg is uncomfortable move it to a more comfortable position.  Notice what this does for you?  Perhaps you feel a sense of freedom?  Perhaps more energetic?  Or perhaps just a bit more comfortable?  You've just created a bit more space for your thoughts and your energy.  By ridding yourself of obstacles, even the simplest things can block your full being, you've opened up a space that your being can flow through.  You've acknowledged your body and provided it a small sense of peace.  Whilst in the middle of this experience you've mentally challenged yourself to be focused on your body's presence.  You've forgotten the past and future for the moment and brought yourself to the present.  Being present is a leading practice in yoga.  A reality check with your self.

Although Yoga can seem very confusing and overwhelming to the newcomer seeing such extravagant postures, it can be as simple as this exercise you just brought yourself through.  After much study we can begin to attain the beauty of simply being, simply living.  The practice of yoga can lead to our empowerment through enlightenment.

  

Yoga is the union of our self and our divinity.  We create a wholeness that is attained from the physical, mental and emotional process of release.  Our energies collide and join as one.  Our thoughts form into a single entity, creating peace and happiness.  We attain full complete health and wholeness.  Our mind and body are pure.  Applying the tools yoga provides we are able to use the breath and the body to re-balance our systems.  We reach a sense of calmness, compassion, clarity and self-assurance through perseverance, repetition, self-awareness and patience within our practice.  Yoga can be exercised both on the mat and throughout your daily life.  We can consciously choose to watch our life and breath deeply through each action and non-action allowing ourselves to experience each instant to its fullest.  Attaining this peace and consciousness brings out our power, our creativity, our personal animal.  We can discover who we really are if we can be true to ourselves through our practice on the mat.  In class, we learn to leave behind the emotion of the day and focus directly on ourselves and the moment we are experiencing here and now.  But it all begins when you choose to make the conscious effort to let go.