O2 Yoga: Up Dogs, Down Dogs, No Dogma.O2 Yoga: Up Dogs, Down Dogs, No Dogma.

Pose of the Month Archive

The Pose of the Month Is on Vacation!

Speaking of vacation, I am on vacation too! Which got me thinking about how important it is to step back and get some clarity on your life, no matter good or bad. What I mean is, I am a person that is constantly "working" on things. Many years ago I went to a therapist for some objective advice regarding a difficult relationship. He said to me; 'You know what your problem is? You think that you need to work on everything. You need to constantly be changing yourself." Guess what I said: "Yea, I need to work on that."

Some of us are in bad situations that need to be changed, however, sometimes what is really needed is distance from the situation to gain objectivity and strength. Some of us are in wonderful situations but we just don't see it because we are fixating on what we don't do right or what could be different. The month of august is the perfect time to step back and take stock or where you are and what you want without trying to make anything be different. This is why I chose not to have a pose of the month. The focus of the month is, don't try to work on anything in particular, just be.

In yoga practice, we come up against resistance all the time. Many of us wish we weren't so tight, were stronger, thinner, happier, more relaxed, etc. We may get injured. The truth of the matter is, you are where you are. Why not take time off from pushing, wishing, striving, and just be. What would that feel like? That is the whole point of yoga practice. To catch glimpses of that feeling. Of being centered, balanced between hard and soft (suka and stira), content, and maybe even blissful.

As for myself, I am going to give it a try. I am going to try to spend the month simply observing my life without judgement and see what happens. Okay, okay, I know I can't do it all the time, but I am going to practice. See how all roads lead to yoga? Practice, practice, practice. As K. Patabi Jois said; "Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory." He also says often; "Do practice and all is coming." (More on this in my Yoga in Depth Column)

Peace,
Mimi

Focus of the Month Archive