admin So this is my one thing, and I reckon there’s a good chance it could be your one thing too, but we’re all different, so maybe it will be one of a number of things you can do to deepen your practice.
It’s obvious, but perhaps a bit too obvious to qualify as the “one thing.” Concentrate on your breathing. Move with it, or let it still you. It is important to be mindful of your breathing but not to force yourself.
You can change and deepen your practice by softening, especially if the way you approach exercise is based on pushing and striving.
Not just in Yin Yoga, where it’s all about allowing yourself to surrender. Make your practice a metaphor for life.
A Strong Warrior is Not a Fierce Fighter
You can find your strength by being softer and less fierce when you are in the Warrior position. Does this make sense?
This is not pushing forward but grounding yourself. You can soften the support gravity provides to keep yourself strong rather than flying forward or falling flat. To feel stable, allow the back hips to move forward and downward.
This will give you the poise needed to hold your arms in a way that resembles a bow-and-arrow. Steady, still.
You can soften your focus by focusing on your middle finger – the tip of an arrow. Imagine that the target of your future moves (because things are always changing). You will miss the mark if you are rigid and too fixated.
The dancer’sDancer’sat lifts more than kicks
In Dancer’sDancer’st, it is easy to concentrate on the kicking portion of your foot. Teachers, including myself, will motivate students by telling them to kick harder, kick further, kick forward, or keep on kicking. This doesn’t seem very graceful (or poised, to be honest).
Would it be possible to shift your focus from the kick to a lift rather than focusing on the kick? The initial kick-up is necessary to create momentum for the backbend. But, instead of focusing on the foot pressure into the hand, try to focus more on the lift of your hip.
The shoulder should be stretched slowly to lift the arm higher.
Maintain a soft gaze over the hand extended and feel it as a gracious lengthening instead of a forceful reach.
Balance is fluid and never rigid. Balance is achieved by a soft, fluid movement, not by locking out, gripping, or forcing.
Soften into any Posture.
With a little yin, you can soften even the strongest, most yang positions. Allow the breath to open and find fluidity. You can practice in either a static or a flowing posture.
You may feel more powerful if you soften up a bit.
