When asked to write about “getting into shape,” my first thought was, “I’m not that kind of yogi!” While I occasionally enjoy a power yoga class, I now prefer a more gentle practice guided from within my body. I teach gentle flow, serenity and restorative classes. I also offer Phoenix Rising Yoga therapy sessions and facilitate body/mind groups. I ask individuals I mentor to write “to be” lists in addition to ‘to do’ lists. I also carry with me a New Orleanian’s passion for great food. It’s a far cry from a hard-body mental and physical boot camp!
Recently a student of mine shared a personal epiphany that yoga is not something to ‘do’ but that it’s a gift, a way to embrace being fully engaged in the process of living. I know this gift well and am so grateful for this beautiful practice that has touched my body, mind and spirit. I then realized this is truly fitness and flexibility born in awareness and acceptance, and one I would choose any day over a practice that only tones my body.
What’s unique about yoga (when it’s practiced with mindfulness) is that we learn to meet ourselves where we are, some days flexible and balanced, on other days anything but. There’s an opportunity to listen to our body and to see our breath as a mirror of our response to what’s happening. We can learn to anchor our breath in the present moment. As we hold a pose at our edge, we might encounter our own impatience, competitiveness, or desire to quit. How are we breathing now? Is there a way to find more ease here?
What happens on our mat as we practice can serve as reflections of how we are living our life. Are we holding our breath when things get challenging? Do we have an ingrained pattern of bracing our body when we are stressed? Do we acknowledge or deny our emotions?
If we learn to honor and accept our own experience instead of suppressing and stuffing it back into our body (causing more tension), we gain more power to choose how we respond to what happens, both on and off our yoga mat. This starts with observing what is happening in the moment without a need to judge or fix it (to whatever extent possible). One of my teachers refers to “acceptance is a precondition to change”. There’s an empowering difference between acceptance and resignation. We can then see what we can change and how we perhaps can find more ease with what we can’t change.
Sometimes our life circumstances are like holding a difficult yoga pose without any clue as to how long we need to stay there. Our experience can become entirely about our struggle and anxiety… our resentment to being there or it can explore how we can soften into what is happening, be present to ourselves and the moment and open to the gift of yoga and life.
What would it be like to offer yourself some ’20-second awareness breaks’ today? Every now and again stop to witness your breath, your body, your thoughts, your emotions … notice the colors, smells, sounds and tastes that are present. As I write this, birds are singing outside, my dog (who has a dirty nose from digging in the yard) is snoring next to me, a butterfly just flew by my window, I smell coffee, there are lush green leaves and brilliant spring light outside, my breath and body feel relaxed and I just caught a glimpse of a photo of my parents and their dearest friends. This is a sweet moment.
About Amy:
Amy Archinal is a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, a Reiki master and a registered yoga teacher. She offers yoga therapy sessions as well as private yoga instruction. Amy also teaches weekly classes at Wild Lotus Yoga in New Orleans and spends a portion of her time in Dallas working with clientele in private sessions of Phoenix Rising Yoga.
You can contact Amy at:
phone: 504-899-6167
email: amy@neworleansyogatherapy.com
visit her web site: www.neworleansyogatherapy.com