On balance
Our bodies are very smart. They’ll spotlight A LOT for us if we just accept the invitation to look inwards and observe.
Are we (or are we not) sleeping well?
Are we eating more (or less) than we normally might?
Are we getting headaches more frequently than before?
Are we experiencing acute and/or chronic tension, muscle spasms, stiffness, etc.?
And what might these—and other signals—be spotlighting for us?
These bodily indicators often are signs of stress, which is a normal part of the human experience. In fact, the Cleveland Clinic defines stress as “a normal reaction that the body has when changes occur, resulting in physical, emotional and intellectual responses”. So good news—we don’t need to stress out about, well, stress!
Also good news…we don’t need to be ruled by our stress, either. That said, this is often harder said than done.
Why do we let stress take control?
We are out of balance! Often, we are too close to a situation to be able to separate ourselves from the stress and our reactions to it. Or…we push the experience too far away and therefore ignore through avoidance the connection between the two. Either way can cause problems in both the near- and long-terms for ourselves and our physical, mental, emotional and relational health.
How might we balance these two extremes?
What if we could find a mindful space in the middle that would enable us to find balance between the edges, between these two extremes?
We can…with one such tool being yoga.
While there are many different paths of yoga, Hatha Yoga approaches the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind (the very definition of yoga) through the physical asanas (postures) first, as it is often more accessible to connect with our body than it is with our breath or mental state. This is why we at Move. Breathe. Be. start with movement before we transition to breath and sitting practices.
How does yoga help us find this balance?
Through yoga asana, we learn to connect with our body from our foundation upwards. And as we build more intelligence about the container that is our body, we tune in more to the physical sensations, then the breath, followed next by the mental and emotional reactions to our overall experience.
When we practice inquisition through asana—What is the outer edge of my foot doing? How can I find more elongation in my torso? What is meant by “spreading my collarbones wide”?—we practice the cultivation of self-awareness. Although this awareness begins in our body, over time, it extends to our mind. We benefit greatly from this integration, from when our body and mind are on the same team, communicating and cooperating the way we would in any good relationship.
Be it through active practices as are taught in our signature Move. Breathe. Be. classes or through more passive approaches such as Yin or Restorative—starting with the physical trains us to be sensitive to changes in our body and teaches us to adjust and balance as need be based on any sensation felt. This intelligence permeates our every cell such that it transcends to our mental, emotional and spiritual realms and to situations “off the mat”.
This is why yoga is not just exercise but rather “an art and science of living”, as eloquently stated by female yoga pioneer, Indra Devi.
Side note—did you know? March is Women’s History Month. Learn more about Indra Devi.
How might we bring this balance to other aspects of our lives?
On the mat, we become more attuned to our habits—be they how we stand or carry our weight to how we react to boredom or frustration with a pose or how we respond to simply sitting in silence and being with ourselves.
Eventually, this cultivated self-awareness naturally expands into other aspects of our lives, such as inquiring into our overall experiences—From where is my habitual self-doubt coming? How can I find more joy in my life? What other response might be more appropriate or beneficial in this situation?
It is through movement that we learn to hold the body still, as taught by B.K.S. Iyengar (another student of Krishnamacharya as was Indra Devi). And it is through holding the body still that we learn to hold the brain still. This combination of action and silence, of moving and being, naturally go together if we only allow ourselves to turn inwards and observe it.
Resources:
Cleveland Clinic. “Stress.” My.ClevelandClinic.org. 28 January 2021 (last reviewed).
Dastagir, Alia E. “Your Body Is Trying to Tell You Something.” USAToday.com. 21 February 2021.
Iyengar, B.K.S. Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace and Ultimate Freedom.
If you like what we’re doing, please consider supporting our efforts to continue to bring thoughtful writing to you and inquisitive teachings through you. Perhaps buy us a cup of coffee. Take one of our signature classes if you haven’t yet. Sign up for one of our new offerings. Comment on our blog posts. Follow us on social media. Invite someone to join our small and growing community. Or, as I said, buy us a cup of coffee.
