Swaying like a flower in the soft breeze. Swaying like the gentle sea. Swaying like a peregrine falcon catching a thermal on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
This is what we explored in our bodies, our poses, our intentions this week in class. Find the sway . . . some give, some softness. Students checked in at the beginning of class, asking themselves: “how do I feel right now?” When we experience “the truth of things” on our mat, then we can see where in our lives we might be pushing too hard or not surrendering enough.
I asked students to notice how they observe, how they perceive as they moved through their practice. If you get tight or a hard gaze settles across your face, then SWAY, rock, slosh, like the gentle sea. We thought about how it’s quite a cultural phenomenon that it’s sometimes easier to work hard, than it is to let go, surrender, sway!
The opening of class found us yogis sitting quietly and visualizing our spine as a blade of grass gently swaying in the breeze. I instructed students to let their spine and upper body sway an inch right and left and slowly let the sway subside and rest in their center.
This is a tool that yogis took into any places they felt “struggle”. They brought breath and softness and sway into the effort and strength. They leaned into the softness, the ease. We took this lovely learning all the way into bird of paradise pose. No clenching, just deep caring breath. We had fun building the pose: some of us deepened into Ganesha’s twisting trunk, some used the fish hook version with an arm hooked under outer lifted leg, and some of us made a bind and unfolded a bright orange flower into the day!
I’m offering an Outdoor Yoga class Saturday October 10 in Menlo Park from 10:00-11:15 a.m. I would love to see you, and practice together, just us, old friends together again. Sign up at www.studiorincon.com And please email me with any questions: lynn@marrin.com
