 |
OPEN MIND OPEN BODY The Yoga of Connection |
|
|
|
Week 1: Connecting to the Breath Breath awareness is the foundational practice of yoga, and the universal practice that connects all traditions of yoga and meditation. It is accessible to everyone: simply notice your breath. Notice each inhalation and each exhalation. Notice how the breath moves into different parts of your body. Notice how it feels to take in, and let go. Watch each new breath rise and fall. Breathing itself is the universal practice that connects all living things. As we practice breath awareness, the essential truth of life is revealed: we cannot exist in isolation. Each life is dependent on each being's ability to interact with the world, to give and to receive. Plants, insects, fish, animals, humans - respiration in some form connects us to life, and to each other. Breathing reveals our interdependence. That may be why breath awareness is the practice at the heart of so many traditions - it reveals our interdependence. This revelation, alone, can be an endless source of inspiration and comfort. This week's practice is a form of breath awareness. Practicing this breath is what inspired me to choose the theme for this year's class. It seems fitting to start the class with this breath, which will be familiar to those of you who have studied or practiced with me in the past. Sink into the familiarity of the practice, and let it support you.
The Breath of Connection listen
to audio instructions (requires Windows Media Player) The
breath connects us to all those who have come before us, all those who share
this planet with us in this moment, and all those who will come after us. Use
the simple act of breathing to remind yourself of this connection. Bring to mind a person who
is nearby, physically. Perhaps someone who is sharing this very room with you.
As you inhale, take in their physical presence. As you exhale, send them
awareness and appreciation. Bring
to mind a person who is close to your heart, but far from you. As you inhale,
bring them to mind. As you exhale, send them love and support. Bring to mind a person who
is suffering. As you inhale, breathe in awareness of their suffering, and as you
exhale, send them compassion and understanding. Bring to mind an ancestor,
a predecessor - someone whose very life has made your present experience
possible. As you inhale, take in the meaning of their life, and as you exhale,
send them gratitude. Bring to mind all those who
will come after you. As you inhale, experience the beauty of your own life. As
you exhale, send them the fruits of your life, and hope for the future.
|
|