Thoughts from the Mat

Thoughts with Love, A Series

I step onto the mat, already warmed by the sun. Headphones in, I begin by swaying to the beat. Listening to the body, I know I need a deep stretch and after a couple days since weightlifting I am ready to prove to myself how strong I am.

The half hour melts away, as I move with both strength and ease. Simple postures, like Extended Standing Pose (Urdhva Hastasana). I played with the full spectrum of arm extension. Could I make a full circle, from hip to crown, along with the beat, along with my breath?

Yoga becomes a kind of dance, when you learn the steps and lose yourself in a choreography of movement.

 You begin to tune in, where does the shoulder catch and hitch just a little bit – as you raise your arms up overhead? Does it do that when you move your forearms up to a goal post stance? Can you relax into this, to prevent the catch of the shoulder blade? What feels like strength and what feels like ease to you?

Drop into a thought stream of mine, as I flowed in the morning sun:

How can I relax into this pose, while strengthening to allow for the biggest, fullest breath?

In what uncomfortableness, is there room for growth?

When the Knights of the Round Table left in search of the Holy Grail they were told: “Go into the part of the forest that is darkest to you.”

                              What fears can I face?

                                             An obstacle can only be overcome by accepting it first.

Can I let go of anything else in this pose?

What movement can I bring to the pose I am in?

How can I relax into this contradiction, of strength and release?

Note the strong base of a warrior pose, what wave and movement in the arms, linked with the breath, can I bring?

how can I bring the feminine into this to balance out the masculine frame?

Melting into the feminine both on and off the mat these days…

The morning yoga session gave way to stillness, and I sat like a sunflower, soaking up the rays. Humans are the most complicated creatures, but we still grow with water and sunlight – don’t we?

Wishing you a sunflower level weekend, may you soak up the rays of what brings you joy.

With Love,

Esta