In our contemporary world, yoga has become a highly popular means of conditioning the body and generating bio-physical/spiritual self-awareness, but with such prolific permeation of yoga in our culture comes a vast array of interpretation and execution. How can one be sure to engage a practice that enhances well being while supporting how we live in our bodies on a daily basis in a sustainable way? The answer to such a question can be highly individual, BUT, a thorough and effective practice should entail the following:
Breath awareness and imagistic intention- the life-force of our breath is key to transforming psycho-physical awareness and directing our energy into a form/experience that enhances quality of life. In order to achieve this, it is important to conceive of our intentions in an “imagistic” way: to render those aspirations to visual or symbolic media, which in turn can be embodied and/or physically worked with. Balanced alignment of the body- the bones constitute our body’s structural integrity and frame, but if not aligned effectively and supported correctly will not serve us well, overtaxing other systems of the body in unnecessary ways. If our practice takes an extreme approach, not being attentive to balancing all the systems of the body, then we run the risk of depletion and possible injury. Remember: “Yuj”, or “yoga”, means “union”, which is predicated by balance! Interplay between muscular release, effort and stretch for optimal mobility- the condition of the joints in the body ultimately determine how we move through the world, and the vitality of life that we lead in general; and the plasticity, as well as the toning, of the fascia in the body will determine our overall well-being and health of our body. Once again, a “balanced” approach is crucial to facilitate this interplay, and if we are exclusively (or extremely) tracked in “pushing” and “working hard” in our practice, then we can undermine reaching this objective.
