Asana Insight
Pose of the Month: Gratitude (The Yogic Smile)
Yes, the pose of the month is a mental attitude: gratitude. November 25, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, a day to reflect on all the things, people, and experiences we are grateful for. To practice gratitude as the pose of the month, take a comfortable seated or resting pose. Smile. The yogic smile was taught to me by Richard Freeman: Close your eyes, and smile to yourself. It can help to simply think "Thank You" or "Yes". The smile is subtle, but genuine. Feel the transformation in your eyes, cheeks, mouth, and palate. The yogic smile expresses our openness to life, and our willingness to experience it. Our gratitude for the opportunity to live this life. Continue to think "Thank You" or "Yes", and let the gratitude expand.
That's it. Breathe, and be grateful for the opportunity to breathe.
If you'd like to take this one step further, you can choose your own asana-of-the-month to complement this practice. Think about all of the ways your body takes care of you and how it has helped you throughout your life. Choose one specific thing that you are grateful for - the ability to stand independently; the ability to create life; the ability to enjoy food; the ability to hug other people; anything! - and choose a pose that, in your imagination, expresses this quality. Then practice that pose with all your heart, and dedicate the pose to your body, which has been, and will be, you constant companion in life.
If you choose a pose, I'd love to hear what pose you chose, and what it represented for you. Please email me!
Explore Previous Poses of the Month in Asana Insight