The Aim of Yoga is to realise our unbelievable capacity, to develop a mind that is a laser sharp.
At the start of my journey the physical postures were unrefined, I was flexible but lacked strength, in both my legs and core, I also lacked the kind of strength that's needed to be the greatest version of your self, I lacked emotional strength to take the action I needed to make changes, to feel happier.
Learning to beathe more efficiently in each asana, cultivating the quality of each breath and particularly the EXHALE was a game changer, allowing a better connection to the pelvic floor, where long held trauma and toxicity can reside, but also it is the root lock, Mula Bandha, the magic key to awakening.
When this began to shift I felt the lights of each posture switching on, I felt some force within, begin to emerge. This is the sacred wisdom talked about in yogic texts, "the life force", it resides within the body, moves through every cell, is connected to each heart beat, harnessed by each breath you take. When this force is activated and directed, it means you don’t have to push and force into postures. The posture above has a lightness, my arms aren’t particularly strong but my focus is on the pelvic floor and no where else, I am totally present with my breath, & connected to my centre.
I was attracted to Ashtanga Vinyasa for this very reason and spent many years with advanced asana that took me away from the feelings which I was avoiding. When I was shown how to breathe more efficiently, that softened my need to be lead by strong physical postures and instead into feeling what was uncomfortable.
However the role of asana is more than just physical it allows us to tune into the subtle sensations, feeling into any discomfort and softening, a much more somatic approach. By slowing down the breath, slowing down the postures, we get to feel more and think less, becoming more connected and content with our inner world , from here we can realise the true depth of the human mind .
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We realise that being vulnerability is also our strength.
We realise that strength is noticing what is hurting and accepting it as part of the healing.
Yoga asana helps to regulate the pull of the external world of wanting to be continuously stimulated, distracted by the material world. Devloping the ability to focus the mind until its laser sharp.
As we know wherever you place your attention; energy flows. We could all do with more focus in everything we do so we can direct that focus on things we need to change. Beginning to see life as our teacher, not our enemy, discovering the objective of life is to realise our unbelievable capacity.
When this wisdom began to arise in me , if there was a posture out of my reach, a work task that was challenging my attitude would always be, I will do whatever it takes, this force took on a life of its own, it began to move through me, direct me, teach me. I lived each day in gratitude of this sacred life, this sacred breath, this breath of life.
My approach in teaching is to help others realise that they too have a superpower within, if we can just let go of those limiting beliefs and transform them into ; I will do whatever it takes, finding only victory on the battlefield of Life.
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