Life all around us can sometimes feel like a chaotic blur. Things to do, people to meet, places to go…these out of body tasks mount up over time, and along with stress, they take us away from being in our body, from knowing where we are in space and time. We can feel lost, drifting…without purpose.
How do we deal with this pile up of metal and emotional activity? Usually we manage ourselves unconsciously to a point when it is no longer sustainable…we get burnt out. We get angry. We get fed up.
One of the aspects of asana practice that it can help to get us out of our head and more into the present moment is being specific. Where we place our attention – on the breath, detailed positioning of the body, engaging specific aspects of breath and banda (energy and energetic locks) – translates out into the world into more clarity in thoughts, in words, and in the little things we do throughout the day.
This month’s focus discusses how the qualities of being ‘fed up’ or reaching a breaking point, can translate into positive action – it might be the catalyst needed to change a habit pattern that is not contributing to happiness or freedom in the world or in our own life (most often the two are interrelated), and aid in finding a different way to be in relationship. It starts with our interaction with the earth, and then with other earthlings…which might then pave a clearer, more specific path to connect with the Divine, with God.
Ultimately, each little action we take can be an offering. When we chant ‘Lokah Samastah Sukhinoh Bhavantu’ it is a way of specifying an intention. May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words and actions in my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all is quite specific. It is a filter, a mirror, by which we can gaze through each time we chant it. We can check in to see if we are live up to this ideal, and if not, what aspects of our actions need to be adjusted, refined. Over time, if we commit to this practice of looking deeply, a change in perception, the magic of yoga, a more patient, balanced mind, a more loving heart, will eventually but inevitably arise…
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