“Yoga is a light, which once lit will never dim.” — B.K.S. Iyengar
In response to Dancing Elephants prompt 9 of 52
Yoga has been a constant in my life for twenty years.
As a teen, my father took me along to a Hatha yoga class at a local studio. We practiced asana, breath work (pranayama), and meditation. I loved it and continued to attend classes with him for some time.
Since then, at various times and in various places, I have practiced mostly Hatha or Iygengar yoga either via teacher-led classes or at home with DVDs. Eventually I became comfortable enough to follow my own rhythm (I still use the Insight Timer app for meditation though).
Depending where you look or who you ask, you may learn that yoga increases flexibility, improves mental health, focus, and sleep quality, strengthens muscles, and boosts immunity. Yes, it does all of these things.
It also inspires me.
My yoga practice connects me to my body, my breath, my spirit, and the earth. It takes me out of my brain, which is probably the least inspirational part of me.
Often when I lie in shavasana or sit in meditation, images flood my inner eye. I see and feel waterfalls, streams and caverns in my chest and belly, soft grass wrapping around my arms and legs. Afterward, I record any particularly striking impressions in a journal and sometimes I turn this into poetry.
Here is one poem inspired by my yoga practice:
Sun Salutation
Bowing first in reverence, I eat the sun; it drips down my throat and into my belly like warm tea of indescribable flavor.
But you know it, don’t you? The complicated taste of a seed opening miraculously in the dirt, of damp, sleepy things waking all at once
with a yawn.
What can we do, who must eat beauty and radiance and fire? What could I do but fold and stretch my body to the ground in thanks?
In any case, a brief meditation, pranayama, or asana break will clear my mind enough to make space for new ideas. It opens me to greater insights and I become more receptive.
Asana
Asana is a sanskrit term that describes the physical postures or poses of yoga. Although my yoga habits vary widely, these might be my top 3 most practiced asanas:
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Digital Yogis
In the digital world today, you can find quality yoga guidance online (try Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube). Here are 3 excellent yogis to follow for instruction and inspiration:
1. Dianne Bondy
2. Natalia Tabilo (Yoga for All Bodies)
3. Body Positive Yoga
Inspiration
I could go on about things that inspire me (stars, birds, breezes, family…), but yoga seems a great one to share.
Thanks to Dr. Gabriella Korosi for offering Dancing Elephants Prompt 9 of 52 — Moments of Inspiration. 🙏
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