yoga and other ways to move the body
So, I love yoga– teaching it and practicing it– there is something to be “said” for this practice and discipline that, for me, words cannot really convey. I practiced for years before ever studying to become a teacher…… My belief even as I engaged in my teacher training– was I love the practice of yoga and will always practice, but this “teaching thing” is for someone else– someone better– more progressed– I am just training for me– for my own personal practice. Well, this was true and still holds a simple truth. I do this for me and for my own process. But interestingly enough, teaching just fell into my lap and became “real” to me almost by accident.
Now, I am teaching quite a bit and loving the experience for myself and others. Sharing this practice and the joy it invariably brings has been truly priceless to me. I am grateful for the practice, for all my teachers, and for giving myself permission to move forward in my own life.
That being said, sometimes I need to do something else…. some other form of moving — something outside of my yoga practice. Yet. moving outside of my yoga practice does not feel entirely comfortable to me…. The idea of going to a gym is not only disheartening but more or less paralyzing– I know I can’t really flourish in this setting—
I have a jump rope at home and a great hula hoop and remember how good it feels to do these simple, freeing movements…… And, then, I realize I can jump rope and hula hoop and practice yoga and, guess what, it is still all yoga….. I am in touch with my body and my breath; I am moving in a way that my body knows and wants to move; I can add this to my asana practice and find the meditative quality in these other ways of moving my body….
As I jump rope vigorously and follow that with a session of hula hooping to really loud, great music— I know that I am present for myself in a similar way I am for my formal yoga practice. At the same time, I am mixing it up a bit– sweating and singing and feeling the “burn” of my “work-out”…. Hey, I guess this desire is not to be judged, but merely added to my path of feeling my body and exploring who I am and what is important to me…..
And the fringe benefits— I am burning calories, working my waist and thighs in a very intense way, and reconnecting with that girl who loved to sweat and just have fun (no goal, no intention, no “inner work”)– even if only for a brief time– a 15-20 minute session.
I guess the point to all this is that if you enjoy what you are doing and find ways to stay present with who you are while you explore different aspects of that definition– then this is a powerful personal practice– this is ultimately yoga and the message it carries. I can reap the benefits of my yoga practice in almost any activity I do— Yoga is integral to my life and therefore much of what I do reflects and reinforces this practice— nothing is really separate from this path. To quote Sri Aurobindo: “In the right view both of life and of Yoga, all life is either consciously or subconsciously a Yoga.” For this, I am grateful and, right now, pretty happy!
