Pose: Half-Splits Asanas are poses and exercises. Of course they're physical. But they're not just physical. If they were, then quite honestly, I could think of other interesting ways to keep fit besides yoga. If it was just physical, then yoga wouldn't be that much different from gymnastics, with the summoning of our will-power to make each move as technically perfect as possible.
The body has other types of energies besides will-power, however. Forcing these bodies of ours to do things they're not ready for and commanding them to do things they really don't want to do is how most of us operate in the world. Many grow up with so much inner baggage, and pressure(s) to achieve and to do what others expect, that we stopped perceiving these other energies -- these aspects of our soul -- a long time ago. Rather, striving and straining become our MO. Our thoughts and emotions become bound and tied to all that kind of action.
By working with the asanas, we learn to apply our will differently. Instead of half-unconsciously pushing and struggling to get ourselves into poses, we guide the body. Through concentration and observation, we experience the body softening and opening up, the way flowers do. Flowers don't force themselves to open, flowers don't struggle to bloom and they don't wrestle their petals to blossom. With yoga, we directly experience the subtler forces that allow the body, the flower, to 'do without doing', without straining or striving.
The body has other types of energies besides will-power, however. Forcing these bodies of ours to do things they're not ready for and commanding them to do things they really don't want to do is how most of us operate in the world. Many grow up with so much inner baggage, and pressure(s) to achieve and to do what others expect, that we stopped perceiving these other energies -- these aspects of our soul -- a long time ago. Rather, striving and straining become our MO. Our thoughts and emotions become bound and tied to all that kind of action.
By working with the asanas, we learn to apply our will differently. Instead of half-unconsciously pushing and struggling to get ourselves into poses, we guide the body. Through concentration and observation, we experience the body softening and opening up, the way flowers do. Flowers don't force themselves to open, flowers don't struggle to bloom and they don't wrestle their petals to blossom. With yoga, we directly experience the subtler forces that allow the body, the flower, to 'do without doing', without straining or striving.
RSS Feed