A dear friend, Virginia, commented before class today, "So about all these technical manipulations of the body - arm bones back, inner spiral here, outer spiral there, tail bone in - something feels lacking. After all those manipulations something still feels lacking."
And the other day a dancer friend reflected, "You can be the most technically brilliant ballet dancer, but boring as hell to watch if you don't have that 'un-nameable something'".
And in less poetic terms I can offer this: Yes, we can do everything (on or off) the mat just "right" (just like our teachers or parents or bosses tell us) and we can still be f-ing miserable. We can still be dense, stuck and stale, even after having followed every little commandment and order of operations.
In the Anusara method, founded by John Friend, I find a response to “there’s something missing.” The first principle of alignment in Anusara yoga is “Open to Grace”. In my experience Opening to Grace is an expression for quieting the ego, the thinker, the do-er. Opening to Grace is a state of surrender, receptivity and luminescence that unfurls inside of us. To Open to Grace is to acknowledge with our inner most being the revelatory aspect of Spirit that has made itself known by our very existence. And it is from this state that we begin to witness our breath. It is from this state that the breath begins to inspire physical movement of “arm bones back, inner spiral here, outer spiral there...”
Virginia is so very right. The physical manipulations are but loud dense actions without first Opening to Grace, the ‘un-nameable something’, that I just gave a name to.
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I loved reading this blog entry--it's beautiful. It reverberates with Truth, and can we ever hear too much of that? The whole of Western culture is oriented toward winning, being a gold medalist, first prize, first place, best in show, get As and excel and you will be loved, you will be a better person. The spirit of competition is deeply ingrained in our psyches, and that doesn't necessarily have to be a negative thing, but unfortunately, it quite often is. I for one do not think I can ever hear enough of *yoga is not about the ability to do a pose*, it is so much more, it's about the process, it's about being right where you are, the journey, the path, seeking to find that which is deeper and richer and brighter within you, within all, and by all means move with ease, live with balance, be steadfast with your heart. Always the heart needs to lead and guide us.
Practice at the Love Co-Op on Wednesday was a rich celebration of community, and the laughter that filled the air will be a long remembered song that floats me into this New Year, and will serve as a reminder of how connected we really are. hugs, ron
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