Last night my yoga teacher said, “If you practice yoga every day, each pose will feel great and you will feel amazing. This is my yoga guarantee.”
When you are first starting to practice yoga, it can be an internal struggle. Some poses will feel great and others will not flow so well. You might notice that your body is open and flexible, or maybe there are parts that feel tense, but there is a certain place where you can ease and lightness in each posture. Yoga is not about being flexible or contorting the body into a specific shape. It is truly about the breath and the awareness you bring to each pose. How does this pose feel? Can I breathe deeply, fully, and comfortably here? If the breath becomes short, shallow, or forced, that is the body’s way of saying, back off a little.
The more you practice, the more you learn to breathe deeply and foster a state of present moment awareness of everything that is going on internally. What is your mind doing? How is your body feeling? Do you feel open and light or tight and tense? Also, it is important to keep in mind that the line of sight follows the lines of the body in each pose. This means that if the body is radiating toward the sky, such as in Reverse Warrior or Extended Side Angle, the eyes softly and gently turn toward the sky as well. The eyes are the means of focusing the body, which is why it is important to focus on a steady point in each pose in order to still the mind and body. Allow the eyes to be focused on a point but also to be gentle and comfortable. This will come with practice.
The Yoga Guarantee is yoga will teach you how to breathe deeply and help you become more aware of your body, the internal dialogue in your mind, and your own thoughts, feelings, and desires. Yoga creates self-awareness. It is a meditative experience that requires nothing more than a willing mind. It is a beautiful and graceful dance with the divine. The practice is a devotional one that will bring you more in touch with your true self. It is a spiritual path above all else. If you are ready, yoga will beckon you and you will heed its gentle call. When you are ready, you will awaken to your divine potential.
Ethereal Mermaid 