Savasana vibes.
I’ve been doing a lot of yoga lately. I come back to the practice in waves, sometimes more sometimes less. Lately my body has been craving slowness and quiet and yoga has been calling to me.
A lot of people don’t know this but the physical poses (asanas) are just one limb of a holistic yoga practice. Taken all together, the eight limbs of yoga provide guidance on how to live a meaningful life. The other limbs speak to nonviolence, breath work, concentration, and many other principles.
So every time I get on my mat it’s not just a workout or a stretch but a chance to practice. And man, even within the controlled environment of the studio space there are plenty of things to work with. Whether it’s the late arrivals to class or the phone that wasn’t silenced, I try to see it as a chance to cultivate a compassionate and patient heart. I COULD react to these things poorly….but I don’t HAVE to.
When I’m shaking in a pose, I could think about how weak I am, or I could just take a deep breath and sit with the physical sensations. When I’m the one running late to class I could beat myself up for having poor time management…or I could laugh at the irony of rushing to find stillness.
This stuff is easier to remember on my mat, but the more I practice the more I remember it off my mat too. What are you practicing lately?
Take care,
Naomi
PS: I’ll be heading off on vacation soon and won’t be back till late July, so look out for my next newsletter then!
Announcements/Resources:
Applications for the Lotus Therapy Fund by the Asian Mental Health Collective close tonight at 11:59pm PT! Recipients receive 8 free therapy sessions free of charge.
I will have openings in my caseload starting in late July. Superbills available.
Some recent delights:
I recently read Beautyland by Marie Helene-Bertino. Her writing is so surprising, simple, and touching.
Watching Tash Sultana play the song Notion live was heartachingly beautiful. Song currently on repeat.