Wednesday 5 March 2008

It's been a while....

... since I last posted. Blame work and all the yoga teaching for that. I kind of lost momentum somewhere along the way. However, as this blog's sister blog says, I'm on the verge of blessed change. The transitionary period between full on, full time, full stress legal work with long commute plus teaching to part time job and teaching expansion. We'll see...

So let's slip back into this gently with some thoughts on the breath.

"Breath is the key to ultimate emancipation" - so states the Hatha Yogapradipika. The Upanishads likewise relates "prana" in the form of breath with the universal "Oneness".

The idea of getting to the point where us everyday yogis feel ready to allow our pranayama practice to provide a bridge between the individual self and the universal soul may seem like something so far in the future, or even unachievable. So let's start smaller.

When practicing pranayama in your yoga class, even if it is just a gentle inhale and exhale to begin or end a hatha class, or the sound of ujjayi in an Astanga Vinyasa class, listen to your breath as part of the breath of the others in the room. Imagine yourselves all inhaling and exhaling together. As one. Your breath becoming a small part of a bigger whole.

And soon your breath will unite not just with your movements, not just with your mind, but with those around you - and not just those in your yoga class, bringing with it compassion and empathy.

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