Wisdom of Daily Practice 2018 – Day 80 – 21/03/2018

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Aneta Idczak

Day 80 – Wednesday little wisdom

Over the past few months I’ve seen more and more posts on Fb from experienced teachers who are also long term yoga practitioners about injuries caused by working their bodies too much in asanas (postures). Extreme hip opening, splits and sitting in lotus for hours.

I know it’s fun to push your limits and achieve those poses. I know the sense of accomplishment and appreciation that come from it.

BUT… it makes me think how short term vision that is. How the focus is only on here and now of the body, and more and better (just like so many other things in our society).

To me it’s forgetting the natural rhythm of life. You might live for another 20, 30, 40, even 50 years in your body!

From this perspective wouldn’t it be better to think long term? Go with your practice slowly and mindfully? Focus on your somatic experience and learn somatic and functional movement not just exciting yoga poses?

That way you learn to live within your body and fully inhabit it. Your body becomes your home to live in.

You stop treating it like a great project, trying to make it better looking and pushing faster than its natural innate pace.

And as you age this way of being will help you to move with lots less pain and injuries caused by over stretching.

This is how I approach my practice and how I teach yoga. It’s your body and your practice has to be right for you. Mindful movement with focus on your somatic experience – whether it’s dynamic or yin.

A practice where there is a space to learn and be and breathe.

A practice that has a practical use to your daily living in your body. Not just looking pretty in the photos  😉

This kind of learning can best be learned on 121. Group yoga classes do not have that capacity for deeper work.

I’m doing this kind of work every day with my private clients and seeing great shifts in their bodies, minds, consequently in their lives.

I have a couple of spaces open up in my Private Yoga Sessions. Reach out if you’re interested in taking your learning deeper.

Namaste
Aneta   🙏❤️

anetai lotus

Wisdom of Daily Practice 2018 – Day 72 – 13/03/2018

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spring-awakening-3132112_1920

Day 72 –  Tuesday wisdom from my mat.

Sometimes resistance may be strong…

It comes up unexpected. “But I really want to do this… Why can’t I do it??”

My automatic response is to try to push past it. Force it to submit so I can keep going with the sheer power of my mind.

But all I achieve is struggle, discomfort and frustration.

Then I remember… there is another way. A way to embrace my resistance.

> I can pause, bring my awareness to my body and connect with my breath. Just listen to it with curiosity.

> I can feel the support underneath me. The sensations of contact with my mat or the sofa I’m sitting on. I can feel my feet/legs on the ground, with all the sensations in them.

> I can feel my shoulders and my arms. The warmth or coldness of my hands. The level of tension I hold there.

> I can rest in my body for a few minutes. Acknowledging my physical existence with all it’s aliveness.

What does this practice do?

It allows me to come back to here and now. It helps me to get back into my body. It helps me to notice what is really going on for me. And it shifts my focus creating more space and clarity.

And from that space I remember that things need to happen at the right pace for me. Just like the unfolding of the Spring – slowly and with it’s own rhythm. And then as if by magic – it all feels different.  

Hope you’re having a good day.

Namaste 
Aneta xx

anetai lotus