In Yoga, most poses are meant to literally and metaphorically move us in and out of our center, our neutral homeostasis, such as moving from Tadasana (Mountain Pose) to Trikonasana (Triangle Pose). In Tadasana we are symmetrically balanced from left to right. We are working to stand evenly on both feet, broadening evenly across both collar bones, evenly long on both sides of our body. In Trikonasana that is completely flipped on it's head. One leg is turned out completely to one side, while the back leg turns in only slightly. Our torso is attempting to move horizontally out from our legs, and both arms are extending away from the trunk and spine, one reaching up to the sky while the other works to ground down to the Earth. We are twisting at the ribs and at the neck. We are about as far from a symmetrical center as we can yogicly imagine.
Aside from working to gain strength, length and agility in our bodies, practicing such contrasting poses works to also gain strength, length and agility in our minds and spirits. There are times in all our lives that we feel pulled in many different directions, twisted up and over extended. The practice of yoga helps us to learn how to keep calm and carry on. First and foremost is the practice of KEEPING EASE in our BREATHING! Clenching our jaws, and ultimately our minds, creates unnecessary tension that is really not going to help achieve anything more than a throbbing tension headache, migraine or worse. Secondly, yoga helps us to rein-in the mind and consciousness, keeping us sharply focussed and present on what we are doing and how we are doing it, in order to stop us from getting lost in the melodramatic ramblings of the ego.
It's interesting then, both as a reflective student and observing teacher, to notice when the will and ego are hell bent on achieving. All sorts of tension and hardness become apparent: the bulging eyes, the tightly knit brow, shaking limbs, or head jutting rudely forward. And believe me, I make note of this empathetically. As our teachers list a million and one cues to be followed, we believe they must mean we SHOULD be able to do everything they've listed off...but how the flip are we meant to keep breathing calmly while contorting and aiming to control every ounce of what feels like incredibly unintelligent flesh on our seemingly slow-to-learn bodies? This of course ends in being part of the lesson offered in yoga: choosing to focus on what we can, being patient with what we have and having faith that change will most certainly follow (now fingers crossed it follows the way we want it to).
So, anyhow, what brought me to thinking about moving in and out of center you ask? Well, it was the ridiculous amount of marshmallows and sandwich meat I ate this past weekend of course!
Here's the story: within the space of one week I had a family wedding and family reunion. Which means in the space of the last two weeks there has been a lot of gathering, eating, drinking and staying up late. This most certainly is one way to knock me off of my center, especially when the food includes a lot of white flour and white sugar, preservatives and additives, and the drink includes a few Palm Bay coolers and camping with Heinekens (did I mention I'm also still up roughly every 2-3 hours with a baby, right). And before I sound too high-horsed about it all, let me assure you that I behaved just as you'd expect a well-trained yogi to behave...like a kid in a candy shop who's experienced sugar withdrawal for the past 2 years as a result of an overbearing and over controlling parent! Instead of eating and drinking all this evil deliciousness in moderation, or even minimally (as I know its effects on me), my inner, and overly controlled, child was unleashed and I stuffed my face and filled my belly! Now, don't get too excited, there was not any table top dancing or rude, wedding-speech making, but alas I find, these days, it doesn't take much of that-which-I-know-isn't-good-for-me to tip me off center. And so with the after effects of white sugar, Palm Bay, campfire and excessive amounts of Deet (the family reunion meant camping for three days in the mosquito-infested North) coursing it's way out of my body and mind, the remedy for the remainder of the summer, and specifically the next 8 weeks, is committing to well-being and specifically a well formulated yoga program.
Enter: Rodney Yee. Rodney Yee is a cornerstone yoga teacher and practitioner in the West. He has recently compiled and written a fabulous book with Nina Zolotow, conveniently called "Moving Toward Balance: 8 Weeks of Yoga with Rodney Yee". I've suggested this book to students in the recent past: as it is a fantastic reference book for a home practice. Rod breaks down each pose into it's many parts and suggests 3 realistic modifications for each one. He provides a focus for each week, as well as a sequence to follow for the ascending days of the week. This means the book has, at minimum, 48 sequences and a thorough, illustrated breakdown of over 30 poses and their modifications, a.k.a a great reference book to have on hand.
So, here's the plan: I've just started following the book, I'm on day two of week one. I realize it's late notice for any of you interested in joining in, but lo and behold, you'll just have to make do with whatcha got. Maybe this will even be the next Yoga Book Club book of choice. I reckon it would be really great if a bunch of us were all following a similar practice and could meet to discuss any insights, challenges and solutions we came up with. If you are keen, grab the book from your local book store or library (not sure if the library has it), and read away. The next book club is scheduled for Weds, August 21, in "The Living Room", at the MacKenzie, from 10-11am.
And for those of you taking classes with me, FYI I'll likely be teaching classes based on this 8 week program...added incentive for you to start your home practice and follow along!
Happy Balancing,
Jenelle
Connection holds the key. Wisdom opens the door. Compassion lights the way.
