Showing posts with label inner spiral. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inner spiral. Show all posts

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Seeing spirals

So I feel like one group of students are ready to hear about the spirals. These are part of the secondary Universal Principals of Alignment in Anusara yoga. At the same time I’ve also been reading about how spirals are everywhere around us: our digestive system, the way a plant grows, hurricanes, water going down a plug hole.

I guess it’s not a great leap from there to start to see that the actions of our arms and legs are something of a spiral too. When I was learning this stuff (I still am) it was always easier to consider inner and outer spirals as expanding and contracting. It kind of made more sense at the time. Expanding, or Inner Spiral comes first. A bit like checking unraveling and unkinking a hose before you turn the water on. In simple terms, you create space either by widening the pelvis or upper back. This makes your back happy at both ends, then comes outer. or contracting spiral. So you’re containing the Shakti (energy) within your body. You’re need it spiritual warriors.

So the theory, as usual in Anusara is simple. What’s hard is applying that in a pose when either leg, arm or both are being pulled towards expansion or contraction. We’ll see, we’ll play with the good ole blocks and if nothing else, we’ll laugh at my duck waddling impressions.

Monday, 11 April 2011

Moving in, finding my light

I struggle with forward bends, I'd much rather be out there in the world bending over backwards (quite literally) for other people. Yet, what I noticed when I was asked to consider what I've got from Hatha yoga in the last year was the massive impact on relationships in my life: with myself, with those around me, with people I come in contact with.

The thing is, when I feel like I'm connected to myself, that's when I'm empowered to go out into the world with confidence and zeal. That's when my inner landscape becomes my outer landscape and I can see the world in a new light, the light which shines within me. So that's why I've set an intention this week to practice forward bends. Because when we fold in on ourselves we reconnect to what is true within us, then we can't help but send it back out. John Friend often uses the analogy that when you light a candle with another candle the first candle doesn't diminish, everything just gets brighter.

So although going into forward bends might not be my favourite thing, they're hard, I need to do a lot of stuff: ground my thighs, power up my legs, inner and outer spiral, be honest with myself about maintaining the integrity of my spine AND BREARH! I know that when I go back into my happy place of backbends I'll be able to maintain the integrity of my own light.

Friday, 8 April 2011

Diving deep to swim in the currents of grace

I've recently come to the realisation that I'm tired of being terrified of new things. OK, well not terrified but sometimes nervous enough that I miss out on some of the experience. Looking back on my notes for my immersions and teacher trainings I find myself thinking: "where exactly was I?".

You only get to experience firsts once and I for one don't want to miss out on it. The way I see it is that if I can be mindful in a situation which has a few other emotions tied up with it, I can enjoy the moment and the more I rest in the moment the more and more I want to be there. It then becomes like a spiral (inner or outer, sorry, Anusara pun), can I see the patterns in life where get tossed and thrown around as simply that, yet still hold my centre and find fresh meaning. Then, if I can see these patterns can I see each an every moment as a gift, something to be seen through a fresh pair of playful eyes. Then I'll truly be swimming in the currents of grace.
So, I'm doing what I usually do. Put it on the mat. Challenging myself in new poses, poses I don't like, can't do. It's an experient and play all rolled into one.