I loved Clare's post yesterday about trying new leads in her writing piece. She inspired me to revise the post I had all queued up and ready to publish. My first version was in past tense, telling about the time when. I loved Clare's reminder to bring readers into the moment. I need to do that more! Here goes:
I lie on my mat, my palms up and my feet hanging naturally. My body is tired, but in a good way from the stretches and poses of the last 80 minutes. I'm ready for the rest that comes at the end of a yoga class. I'm ready to be still.
My instructor (who is also my sister-in-law and one of my best friends) moves off to the side and begins a reading. Her voice is gentle, but her words are clear.
I lie on my mat, my palms up and my feet hanging naturally. My body is tired, but in a good way from the stretches and poses of the last 80 minutes. I'm ready for the rest that comes at the end of a yoga class. I'm ready to be still.
My instructor (who is also my sister-in-law and one of my best friends) moves off to the side and begins a reading. Her voice is gentle, but her words are clear.
Repose is not a discipline or practice. To experience Repose, you do not need to adhere to any specific philosophy or become proficient in any technique. There is no learning curve and no wrong way to be in Repose.This quote comes from Victor Shamas through Goodreads. Amy paired it with another statement from Izey Victoria Odiase :
Relax, Recharge, and Reflect. Sometimes it's OK to do nothing.The practice of yoga is important to me for many reasons, but one of the most important ones is because it has taught me to really, really be still from my toes to my fingertips to the space in between my ears which is the toughest one to silence. What I've learned is that I'm more productive if I do take the time to be still--intentionally still--for a few minutes each day. We live in such a busy and stimulating word with constant contact from anyone and everyone, that yes, sometimes it's OK to do nothing.
Sometimes it's more than OK.
For five minutes, I stay on my mat, my eyes closed and my thoughts moving inward, thinking of the importance of relaxing, recharging, and reflecting. And when those minutes are over, I'm ready.
Happy Slicing,
Such a wonderful reminder that doing nothing is ok! I am a yoga instructor as well and am delighted to read your description of experience.
ReplyDeletehttps://tammysreadinglife.wordpress.com/
What a great reminder of the importance of being still. I loved how you wrote in the moment!
ReplyDeleteShivasana is my favorite! I haven't taken a class in almost 8 months due to a surgery, but I kept up with my meditations and have even been reading a surplus of mindfulness, meditation, Tibetan, Hindu and Buddhist books! Calming the space between the ears is often the most difficult, but there are many outlets to do so and I am glad you have found yoga as one of them!
ReplyDeleteI love how you revised this and wrote it in present tense. I'm going to check out Clare's post next. And the reminder about yoga is a good one... How lucky you are to have Amy as a great friend, sister-in-law and yoga instructor extraordinaire.
ReplyDeleteShivasana is wonderful! It's one of the only safe yoga poses I can still do post neurosurgery. (I had to give up yoga 10 years ago. Thankfully, Pilates has taken its place.)
ReplyDeleteI miss yoga. Due to a few injuries I had to give it up, but I'm hoping to return. I always loved Shivasana.
ReplyDelete