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OPEN MIND OPEN BODY Ideas for Your Yoga Practice |
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Follow the Sensation
In yoga, one of the first steps to peace of mind is the ability to find the present moment through sensation. This short practice has two parts: a vinyasa (a sequence of poses, connected by the breath), and a relaxation breathing practice. The intention of this practice is to connect you to the direct experience of sensation.
Part 1: Vinyasa with Body Awareness
Take a vinyasa that you know well, or create a simple sequence of postures to use for this practice. I developed this practice for sun salutations, but any flowing sequence of poses would work.
First, practice the vinyasa a couple of times, to find the flow of the movement with the breath. You shouldn't have to think about what movement comes next.
Then, with each movement (and with each inhalation and exhalation), bring your awareness to a different part of the body. The sequence of body parts can be random (whatever calls out to you), but it is easiest to start from the hands or feet, and work up. When you bring awareness to a body part, simply notice what it is feeling. Dive into direct perception of sensation.
A sun salutation could go something like this:
Inhale (Stretch Arms Overhead): Feel hands Exhale (Forward Bend): Feel arms Inhale (Lift the Chest): Feel shoulders Exhale (Step Back to Caturanga Dandasana): Feel chest Inhale (Upward Facing Dog): Feel belly Exhale (Downward Facing Dog): Feel hips Inhale (Step to Hands, with Chest Lift): Feel thighs Exhale (Forward Bend): Feel calves Inhale (Stand Up, Arms Overhead): Feel feet Exhale.
It may take a few rounds of practice to get the hang of quickly shifting your awareness from one part of the body to another, while still moving with the breath. Try this practice closing your eyes.
When it feels fluid and natural, try spontaneously shifting the awareness from body part to body part - without following a pre-set "map". What you may notice is that no matter what body part you choose, it always feels like the "right" part. There is always something to notice - some action, some feeling.
Finish in a neutral pose - tadasana (standing), if you were practicing sun salutations, or perhaps virasana (kneeling) or savasana (relaxation pose). Notice the whole body and the breath. Practice breath awareness for at least five minutes before moving onto relaxation.
Part 2: Relaxation with Body Awareness
Come into relaxation pose. Notice your breath, and feel the sensations of your belly rising and falling as you breathe. Notice the "whole sensation" of your body, including the position of your body, how it makes contact with the floor. Practice simply being present to sensation. Direct your awareness to the toes of the left foot. Feel the sensations present in the toes of the left foot. If you cannot feel the toes, you can simply imagine them. Imagine breathing in and out of the toes for a few breaths. Then, relax this focus on your toes and return your awareness to the sensations of the breath. Move on to the left foot, and then the left leg, and then the pelvis, repeating this process of feeling sensation, imagining breathing in and out of each area of the body, and returning your awareness to the sensation of breathing. Move on to the right toes, right foot, and right leg, through the belly, back, and chest, through the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers, and finishing with the neck, head, and face. Finish by imagining the breath moving through the whole body, from head to toes.
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