Practice Blog

Last class we tried several new poses that required us to exert a lot of energy. In my opinion, some of the poses were either just as difficult as the headstand pose or even harder. Luckily, we all had the wall to break our fall. All in all, I feel that with every class we are pushed to step out of our comfort zones and try new things. Trying new things in turn helps us to realize who we are and what works better for us. Moreover, it allows us to become more comfortable in our own skin. I have a feeling that after this yoga class ends I will be more encouraged to embrace my adventurous side, seeing as though I am beginning to like the thrill or rush of doing the headstand pose.

Headstand

Tuesday’s class was indeed challenging but fun at the same time. The most challenging part was learning how to do the headstand pose also referred to as Salamba Sirsasana. The pose required complete and utter concentration, which was somewhat hard for me seeing as though I was terrified. Although I was scared of falling or hurting myself, I pushed through and attempted to do the pose. After attempting to do the pose, I realized that it was not as nerve wrecking as I thought. I just need to work on positioning my head in the correct way (so I don’t hurt my neck) and maintaining balance.  On another note, my favorite Yoga poses so far are the bridge pose and downward facing dog mainly because it forces me to be more conscious when it comes to controlling my breathing and stilling my mind in order to get the full benefit of the practice.

Stepping out of my Comfort Zone

After every class I leave with a deeper appreciation for yoga and its philosophy mainly because the class forces me to come out of my comfort zone and leave all my worries at the door. This is extremely hard for me to do because I am constantly thinking about what is coming next or what else I have to do before the day ends. Also, I’m not really one who likes to try new things or explore the unknown. That’s why my family makes fun of me when we go to certain restaurants because I will order the same entrée each time. Many would say that I am a very traditional person, while others might say that I am a bit predictable. However, I am slowly opening up and broadening my horizons because I have realized that life has so much to offer and we should take advantage of each opportunity.  Like Nolan said in his comment on my blog last week, yoga as a whole is a great practice that should be used to help all of us “achieve better wholeness”. In my case, taking yoga this semester has definitely put me on the right track to achieving such a goal and becoming a better person with each day God blesses me to live.

Life Is A Process

“In order to practice being whole, an inner fire, constant study, and a devotion to things spiritual are required. The purpose of such a practice is to reduce difficulties and help bring about realization”- In essence, before a person can reach the state of wholeness they must develop a passion that ignites and motivates, constantly study the works or words of those who know and understand what it means to be whole, and be dedicated to those things which are spiritual. One thing that I have learned throughout the years is that life and the mastering of life’s experiences is oftentimes a life-long process. We as people tend to grow through our experiences; regardless of whether the growth is manifested spiritually, intellectually, or physically. With every encounter life throws our way there is some lesson being learned or even taught.  Like the sutra says, we must practice the art of being whole in order to gain understanding and bring about realization. By practicing the principles listed above we are better able to hold ourselves accountable and focus on what is important. Although this sutra is talking about reaching the state of wholeness, you can apply the principles or saying of this sutra to everyday life. 

Good to be Still

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“Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness” – I cannot express how much I needed to read and discuss this sutra last class. It was indeed a very timely conversation. Last week was an emotional and completely exhausting week for me physically and mentally. After my family informed me of my grandmother’s passing, it was as if everything around me disappeared. I didn’t feel like eating, talking, or even getting up from my bed. All I wanted to do was be completely still and reflect on my grandmother’s life and legacy. The only way that would happen was to shut everyone and everything out for the entire day. Before isolating myself, I called my parents and siblings to make sure that they were ok and then I detached myself from all electronics and social media. Detaching myself from the world for a day was an extremely liberating experience. It allowed me to be present at that very moment and to engage in the process of grieving in order for me to be at peace with the situation to some extent. More importantly, the practice of detachment stilled my consciousness and mind from thinking about what could have been or what I could have done to help. It was just good to be still for a day.

Imagination: Sutra 1:9

“Imagining is where an idea is conveyed that has no basis in reality”. – When I think of the word imagination, I immediately associate it with the word dream. Mainly because dreaming to me is unconsciously or consciously in some cases voicing one's desires or aspirations. Thus, in my eyes one's imagination is oftentimes the pathway to realization. As children we are taught to imagine and dream- "Imagine one day that you will be president of the United States". That is why many children have imaginary friends. I know I did. However, as we grow up and become teenagers or young adults we are encouraged to not just imagine but to turn those images into reality. More importantly, we are encouraged to turn those imaginations into dreams or future aspirations, which eventually become goals that are either seen as obtainable or simply as a fantasy.  Although I believe that it is vitally important to have an imagination, I also feel as though it is equally as important to at least believe that some of those dreams or images can become reality. I understand that  imagining can be dangerous seeing as though people tend to confuse imagination with reality. However, I simply do not agree that imagination has no place in reality at all. If I have interpreted this sutra correctly, it is essentially saying that imagining does not necessarily mean that a particular idea will become reality. This is in direct conflict with my upbringing and beliefs. I have always been taught that without imagination, a person has no dreams (aspirations) and without dreams, a person lacks goals. I simply do not agree with the statement that imagination has no basis in reality because I myself have an imagination that allows me to dream and motivate myself to see them manifest.

Practice Response 1

Surprisingly, the first day of class was my first time being exposed or introduced to yoga and its philosophy.  Although yoga is often referred to as a common practice in today’s society and is known as a popular form of exercise, I had never practiced it before. As a result, I decided to enroll in the course. The yoga poses that we learned in class were definitely unique - especially the walking dog. The poses forced me to empty my mind and concentrate solely on the movement at hand. The various poses required balance, stretching of the limbs in ways you wouldn’t normally, an open mind, and the willingness to push yourself in order to reach complete solidarity. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about yoga and being introduced to the yoga sutras. It was somewhat weird because for the pass few years I have heard a lot about yoga and have been asked by several of my friends to participate in a class, but I was always busy or simply unable to attend. Also, I enjoyed the discussion on the reading prior to class practice because it allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of what the sutras were trying to convey.

Wholeness: Sutra 1:2

“Wholeness consists of a complete grasp and command over the process of being and becoming aware”- In other words, this sutra is saying that in order to become whole and understand one’s true value in life, they must first be still and content in the space they are in. This resonates with me because I believe that it is really important to seek our true purpose in life. Once a person’s purpose and destiny is revealed to them they can begin to conduct their lives in a manner that will bring it to pass. More importantly, I believe that once you understand that your life is bigger than yourself and that it holds value, you become motivated and confident ready to walk this journey of life with ease. This reminds me of a saying from my grandmother, “When you know who you are and who’s you are, life’s obstacles don’t seem as tough. What a wise woman she was indeed! Personally, this sutra speaks to my journey and struggle to become whole. Throughout my freshman and sophomore year of high school, I struggled with taking command over the process of being and becoming aware. I constantly questioned and asked God what my purpose was on this earth and why he spared my life as an infant? Once God spoke to me and reveled that my purpose was to use my life and my love of law and politics to impact lives, I was able to relax and begin to rest in knowing that I was destined to do something worthwhile. Thus, understanding your being and becoming aware of your beings purpose is indeed essential to ones wholeness as a person.