Yoga permeates my whole life. Yoga isn’t just going to an exercise class once a week. In this life it is easy to get caught up in the everyday rush, worry, anxiety etc but I continue to learn to stop and feel “yoga”. This means a lot of things such as:
• becoming aware of my posture and realigning
• becoming aware of my breath, not necessarily changing it but just “knowing it”
• becoming aware of my thoughts, noting the worry for the future or the regrets of the past, noting the judgement of others or myself or things, noting the “have to”, “got to”, “should have” thoughts.
Yoga makes me feel better.
Over the years I have found more peace and calmness and have become less reactive. I am more aware of what’s happening in the present moment. More aware of my busy monkey mind. I feel there is more to life than commercialism, technology and fast paced changes. I am learning to accept who I am yet continue to want to improve myself with guidance from the wisdom I find in yoga and the teachers. It helps me identify my ego and my “Iness” (Asmita) and be aware of desires, likes /dislikes and to be aware of emotions such as judgement and anger, sooner.
In a class with Polly or Vera my mind becomes very focused on working my body. I am concentrating, sensing, being aware of the immediate process. Yet I am also opening, releasing, breathing. We learn to study our asana in relation to left/right, front back, weight, energy flow, effort etc. There is a noticeable change in Asana alignment over time but the shift in mental and spiritual growth is the “icing on the cake”.
Iyengar yoga has given me the skills and motivation to continue with a home practice but the knowledge I gain from every single class is invaluable. Thanks Polly and Vera.