Thoughts on my daily practice

Thoughts on my daily practice.

As winter settles in and the juices between the joints, tissues, muscles and organs becomes a little less runny perhaps even sticky my body enjoys more gentle flow working up to some longer held poses. Some days when my energy is low and my body mind and spirit need a recharge I gravitate towards a restorative practice. 

What is restorative yoga?

Restorative Yoga is a practice dedicated to deeply nourishing the body through mindfully resting the body and mind. The practice focuses on 'being' rather than doing. An extensive range of yoga props (blocks, bolsters, blankets, straps, the wall, floor, eye pillows) are used to create a fully supported practice allowing the body to unwind passively and the mind to move toward stillness. The props help the practitioner to rest deeply without unnecessary strain or stress physical or mental. This makes the practice ideal for those with injury, low energy, pre and post natal or those simply wishing to nourish and heal the body. For example, legs up the wall (Viparti Karani) is a classic restorative pose using the wall as a prop to support the legs. 

 Restorative yoga: photo from 2012 Spring to life Yoga Retreat

 

My favourite book is Donna Farhi's Yoga for Women: Therapeutic practice sequences. You can go to her website to order the book Donna Farhi's website I have participated in several Donna Farhi workshops/intensives (and they are intense) and really enjoy her approach to yoga as an inquiry into your awareness of your body, organs, muscles, breath as well as witnessing habits and mind patterns that may be holding you back. With this information you learn to move towards your potential while respecting your limitations. Be happy with who you are and what you have done.

Meditation: A practice to move within

As the days get shorter,  winter offers itself up for reflective practices like seated meditation.  

Yoga means to 'yoke' or 'unite'. This implies that we are seeking to become whole making yoga a lifestyle or a way of being in the world. The main method to becoming whole is meditation: meditation is how you join with the universal consciousness and be one.  Meditation or another way to put this to is simply being, here, now, in the present moment. This being here can be practised anywhere anytime - on the mat (asana practice), on your cushion and in daily life (possibly the most challenging). It is possible to meditate anytime, anywhere. Check out the meditation page for some suggestions as there are many ways to meditate: Find a method that works for you and when it stops working find a new one.

Namaste, 

I honour and respect the good qualities in you.

Margot