Bringing light to the unconscious (pt. 1).

In class I often talk about expanding your awareness throughout your body. We all tend to have areas where we are less conscious and gradually we want to learn to expand our awareness throughout (engage hands and feet, engage bandhas, keep drishti focused, ujjayi breath steady etc). In asana practice we start this process with the body by noticing where we lack awareness (where are we not engaging? Where are we holding on too much? Is one body part holding the whole pose while the rest remains passive?).

With dedicated practice we begin to expand this to our minds too and start to make the unconscious conscious. We shed light on our own patterns in the body, mind and emotions and can start the work of changing them.

What do you feel when you can't get into the full expression of a pose? What about when you could yesterday but today it's not happening? Well that's a great time to learn about impermanence and non-attachment. What about when the person next to you can do something but you're not there yet? What's your self talk? Do you you drift into a stream of thoughts every time you come to a rest pose?

Without judgement, take notice of where your mind goes. Take the place of the observer, most likely you'll see these same patterns reflected in your daily life.