I have been practicing yoga intensely for about 20 years, but not the kind of yoga you think of when you think of yoga. Not the asanas (the postures). Sure, I practiced Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) before meditation for years, but I didn’t go much further than that.
Rather, I focused on the other limbs of yoga, pranayama (breath control), which I find to quickly moves me into incredibly expanded states of consciousness. Dhāraṇā (focusing the mind on a mantra) has been my daily practice for 20 years. I have been given different mantras to practice by a few different teachers and Gurus in Bali, India & Australia. Each one has enriched me in a different way. And sometimes the mantra chooses me; it is time to change it, and my inner teacher knows it. I like to think of a mantra as a particular nutrient I need more of at a particular time.
And now, it seems time to learn the physical asanas, and my body loves it. I have spent more time over the last 3 years sitting in front of a computer than ever before. I can feel my body gently opening, softening, and lapping up the extra flexibility in my spine.
I have not practiced every day, about 5 days a week so far, which is easy being in one of the yoga capitals of the world right now (Bali) and being on vacation. I’m setting the intention to continue this exploration with my body in a gentle way, as I have done with my mind for so many years.
Who else is intending to practice more yoga this year? (And if you have recommendations for excellent yoga teachers in Sydney, I’d love to hear).
So much love to you all, and thank you for being here,
Jen