A deep sense of love, peace, interconnectedness, "understanding" (for whatever that is) and home (in and out) pervaded in this morning's practice. Revealing. Lots. Practice does not always seem revealing, yet by little bits, it always is - though those moments when "things" truly appear to merge and come together in a broader scheme of understanding, those moments (!) always leave me awestruck. And tremendously grateful. Today such moments, glimpses, presented themselves.
There was s o m e t h i n g such as a deeper awareness and understanding of the different landscapes inside and of me* emerging as direct experience from moving my body into the various shapes of my practice; firm roots anchored inwards propagating outward expansion and expression supported by breath and gaze.
A raw experience of myself* in the shapes my body made (not random shapes, yet shapes I try to experience most days of the week), physically, sense of direction, yet also an understanding tickled into spirit, being part of a greater entity; ... anchors, air / space, opposition, center, left / right, below / above, exhale / inhale - all somehow merged into one while resting in the ever-changing presence of the here and the now, and moving from within, expanding outward from within. As the nature of all is change, is there a logic to our holding on to [fill in the blank ] (physical / mental / emotional..sensations; our minds want to ride control, but nature is flawless in itself. Letting go but not being ambivalent, still moving in this change while also changing, in a centered manner. Huh!
One step back now.
Somehow this inner presence also opened up a vast receptivity to my environment, and the people practicing in this, our, space; a receptivity, a resonance with them and their creations (the beautiful female practitioner next to me literally creating life), seemingly observing much, yet not entangled with observation.
A snapshot of a deeper glimpse, a profound invitation, of what encompasses vinyasa (albeit my very own experience of vinyasa today): moving around one's center, lifting, chest forward, exhale, legs back, ...inhale jump forward into something new, a new creation yet not an ambivalent one, creating with directed and embodied focus (made possible by a frequent practice of the same sequence). And vinyasa (!), analogous to the ever passing of all, not attaching but flowing in the present while externally pulled in all directions (daily activities, obligations, family, dear ones, own expectations, thoughts on past and future...) but right here in this, also very dynamic, practice, moving in and out (each asana) staying connected / anchored to one's core, breathing myself into a shape (an extremity, expanding from my core) while firmly anchored from within and guided by the breath - experiencing a sense of staying present, aware, centered while all changes, continuously and always. Being an observer to the ever continuing spectacle of something coming to light, being created, and then naturally ceasing again, pose by pose, breath by breath...little births and deaths, giving way to something new, becoming old and new, again and again. And again. Yet altogether resting / steadying the straying mind in the ever changing shapes, through breath, gaze and inner awareness... when a glimpse to non-attachment is possible, but before you know it, it may already be gone again. A playing field where the frequent, dedicated, yet also thoughtful practice comes into place.
Fascinating.
I practiced full primary and intermediate up to Tittibhasana, and extra backbends, a full and long practice for me; was not tired during my practice, it felt like a natural flow from one to the next, with no extra energy spent on wavering, yet held and supported by directed attention (and not pulled down) mentally, emotionally, energetically and physically - all in it's place - a sense of being deeply rooted to the earth and from within, giving forth much space / possibility to expand or draw in with each in- and exhale, respectively.
Yoga-Sutra 1.14
sa tu dīrghakāla nairantarya satkāra-ādara-āsevito dr̥ḍhabhūmiḥ ॥14॥
Success in yoga (cessation of the fluctuations of the mind) can be definitely achieved by engaging in the same practice, a practice that has a solid foundation, continuously (without a break) over an extended period of time, in a dedicated and thoughtful manner.
There was s o m e t h i n g such as a deeper awareness and understanding of the different landscapes inside and of me* emerging as direct experience from moving my body into the various shapes of my practice; firm roots anchored inwards propagating outward expansion and expression supported by breath and gaze.
A raw experience of myself* in the shapes my body made (not random shapes, yet shapes I try to experience most days of the week), physically, sense of direction, yet also an understanding tickled into spirit, being part of a greater entity; ... anchors, air / space, opposition, center, left / right, below / above, exhale / inhale - all somehow merged into one while resting in the ever-changing presence of the here and the now, and moving from within, expanding outward from within. As the nature of all is change, is there a logic to our holding on to [fill in the blank ] (physical / mental / emotional..sensations; our minds want to ride control, but nature is flawless in itself. Letting go but not being ambivalent, still moving in this change while also changing, in a centered manner. Huh!
One step back now.
Somehow this inner presence also opened up a vast receptivity to my environment, and the people practicing in this, our, space; a receptivity, a resonance with them and their creations (the beautiful female practitioner next to me literally creating life), seemingly observing much, yet not entangled with observation.
A snapshot of a deeper glimpse, a profound invitation, of what encompasses vinyasa (albeit my very own experience of vinyasa today): moving around one's center, lifting, chest forward, exhale, legs back, ...inhale jump forward into something new, a new creation yet not an ambivalent one, creating with directed and embodied focus (made possible by a frequent practice of the same sequence). And vinyasa (!), analogous to the ever passing of all, not attaching but flowing in the present while externally pulled in all directions (daily activities, obligations, family, dear ones, own expectations, thoughts on past and future...) but right here in this, also very dynamic, practice, moving in and out (each asana) staying connected / anchored to one's core, breathing myself into a shape (an extremity, expanding from my core) while firmly anchored from within and guided by the breath - experiencing a sense of staying present, aware, centered while all changes, continuously and always. Being an observer to the ever continuing spectacle of something coming to light, being created, and then naturally ceasing again, pose by pose, breath by breath...little births and deaths, giving way to something new, becoming old and new, again and again. And again. Yet altogether resting / steadying the straying mind in the ever changing shapes, through breath, gaze and inner awareness... when a glimpse to non-attachment is possible, but before you know it, it may already be gone again. A playing field where the frequent, dedicated, yet also thoughtful practice comes into place.
Fascinating.
I practiced full primary and intermediate up to Tittibhasana, and extra backbends, a full and long practice for me; was not tired during my practice, it felt like a natural flow from one to the next, with no extra energy spent on wavering, yet held and supported by directed attention (and not pulled down) mentally, emotionally, energetically and physically - all in it's place - a sense of being deeply rooted to the earth and from within, giving forth much space / possibility to expand or draw in with each in- and exhale, respectively.
Yoga-Sutra 1.14
sa tu dīrghakāla nairantarya satkāra-ādara-āsevito dr̥ḍhabhūmiḥ ॥14॥
Success in yoga (cessation of the fluctuations of the mind) can be definitely achieved by engaging in the same practice, a practice that has a solid foundation, continuously (without a break) over an extended period of time, in a dedicated and thoughtful manner.
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