Creating Space in My Body, Making Room in My Life...

“Yoga is not a work-out, it is a work-in. And this is the point of spiritual practice; to make us teachable; to open up our hearts and focus our awareness so that we can know what we already know and be who we already are.”

Rolf Gates

I unroll my mat and notice the color of it. Purple. There’s something sacred about this space. It is my own quiet sanctuary whether I am alone or surrounded by other yogis. We are together, each of us exploring individually. I come back over and over again to meet myself on some other level in another dimension. I’m at home here. Yet each time I arrive, I am aware that I will leave my mat with some newfound appreciation, question, insight, inquiry, or inspiration. Above all, I am changed.

Yoga is an invitation to explore myself.

In Sanskrit it is called Svadhyaya, or self-study.

Yoga is more than exercise. Sometimes when I come to my mat, I use my body to create heat. I sweat and strengthen my muscles. Other times, I do restorative poses, yin yoga. There are countless ways to practice, but the real meaning of yoga is not in what I practice but in how I am being during the practice of yoga.

The goal of yoga is to go beyond the pose…

In order to do yoga, I rely on my breath. Breathing makes each pose possible. I am learning the mechanics of yoga and how essential it is to be aligned on the outside, making space in my body for breath. The more freely I breathe, the more I focus on the here and now. When I am present, I create length in my body and room in my life for the beauty, the magic, and the miracles.

The most beautiful thing I have learned that I never really connected with before is that yoga is not about going for the deepest stretch or the impossible pose but finding the presence in the pose. I am becoming more and more comfortable with my body, honoring it for doing this work, learning that I’m okay right where I am. If I need to use a prop, a cushion, a block, or a strap, to make the pose accessible, I find peace here. I give my body what it needs.

Going beyond the pose means to go within rather than stretching my body beyond what is available to it today

When I can do that, I am practicing the true essence of yoga… I realize my attachment, so I can let go of what doesn’t serve me. I have been working on this in my life a lot over the years. I’ve applied this work in many areas of my life, and I find it interesting that I am now bringing it to my mat.