Your Monday Morning DOWNdog Yoga POST!

Good morning dear students,
Our focus for the last four classes and remaining four posts will be on Sun Salutations, Surya Namaskars.

This week I will talk about mindfulness.  In the final three weeks, I will explore balance, extension, and relaxation.

BEING mindful when I practice yoga has been the most important key to discovering just how much yoga can be beneficial:  among the many benefits, it has brought more mindfulness into my daily life.

INHALE.  EXHALE.

When I do Sun Salutations, I am mindful of the breath, of the energy, (prana) that I am drawing from the earth and that is expanding from my core throughout my body, “into every pore,” (Iyengar)  as I inhale.   I am aware of the beautiful sensation of letting go, releasing, the “Ahhhh” as I exhale.

INHALE.  EXHALE.

The two most important words in the yoga philosophy.  Staying connected to the breath,  I am mindful of what I am doing with my body. During Sun Salutations, as I come into a low lunge, I am aware of my arms coming up in synchrony, together, parallel, as I keep my centre, evenly drawing up energy from my toes, the pads of my front foot, my knee and the top of my back foot.   I am aware of my arms going up together, reaching up evenly towards the sky as I remain and feel rooted into the earth.

INHALE, EXHALE

As I try to find and maintain balance, stability, I am mindful or aware of differences between the right side and the left side of my body.  My mindfulness is allowing me to learn about my body and discover my strengths and recognize my limitations.  I am listening to what my body is telling me.  My mind becomes quiet.  My body is speaking.  I need to give it all my attention.  My body is very intelligent:  it has a wealth of knowledge to impart.

In sum, bringing the mindfulness you  experience on your mat into your daily life, is one of the most important benefits that yoga can offer you.

I look forward, as always,  to our practice.

Namaste!
Jocelyne

Please note: There are no drop-in spaces available at this time.  If you would like to know if a drop-in space becomes available, please send me an email.  Thank you.