You Can Not Cross the Same River Twice!
You cannot cross the same river twice, even at the same place! The river changes moment to moment. Making assumptions could lead to being washed away by a new current, tripping over a new log, or a sink hole swallowing you up.
Think about this in terms of each asana in your yoga practice. Just like a river has changed, your body is constantly changing, your awareness, your mental and emotional state, and activities since you last did an asana.
Remember you bring every aspect of yourself to each asana, whether you are paying attention to them or not. Positive and negative thoughts, memory and emotions are there.
You simply cannot do the same asana twice, “Approach each asana as if it is the first time you are doing it”. ~ BKS Iyengar
This is the correct attitude both to avoid strain and injury as well as make progress.
If you always assume your body cannot advance past where it was yesterday or last week, it won’t, because the body is listening to the mind.
Thinking you know where the asana will peak before you take the journey into it, eliminates the possibility of progress, bypassing learning in exchange for going through the motions. The same is true on the journey out of an asana.
If you assume your body can go as far as last time in an asana, but your body was jerked around avoiding a drunk driver, and you’ve been tensing up with fear every time you enter a freeway… Well your body is not be even close to where it was, might not be for several days and assuming it is could cause further damage.
Both these assumptions cause us to think in terms of the gross physical body, we miss experiencing the subtleties along the way.
When you do your best moving towards the asana, in the asana, and back out of the asana, you gain all the possible benefits. You gain just as much as someone who goes into the most advanced version. If you push through without listening to your breath and whole body, you are doing more harm than good and will not reap the fruit of the practice.
Do no harm!
Ahimsa, One of the
five Yamas, (disciplines or self restraints that are primarily concerned with the world, and our interaction with it, in our day to day life).
This applies to self harm, such as: negative self talk, carelessness in your practice, being outside the moment, worried about past or future plans events, the state of the world, comparing yourself to stronger or more advanced students.
Keep in mind the gross physical body has 700 named skeletal muscles in the human body, and as many as 840 total. You are aware of them all and much more. Your incredible mind is throughout the body, trust it!
This is what I mean when I say “feel the asana as an energetic whole.”
So yoga it is not, making a shape with the body, hanging out there through a breath or breaths and then making another shape; this is going through the motions. This approach leads to literally hanging out in the ligaments and not supporting the joints and bones or building strength!
This is why I say “nothing is asleep until shavasana, though some muscles may be passive, it is with conscious awareness.” Remember your wholeness!
Overwhelming? NO!
It simply requires a different type of awareness; you don’t need to know the names of all the muscles or even the names of all the actions. Best not to even try because then you’re up in your “little mind”, and asana is intuitive not analytical.
You are aware! You do this. You use intuition all the time, give it attention in your practice and notice, how awesome you are, pay attention to how amazing life is! How amazing we humans are!
In every instant of your day you have this vast awareness active and working, sometimes without attention. In yoga you give all attention to this awareness, with the breath, Pranayama. Practice with attention, awareness turned inward.
It is an acute attention that strengthens through practice. This is curious attention to the whole experience of the whole self.
It is an attention that is devotional in nature, an attention rooted in self love.
If you can’t maintain the attention, as you do your yoga practice, rest. Do no harm!
Peace, Christina Nov 17th2018
The back story, July to present: pain, challenge, and blessings!
I sustained injuries driving on the freeway July 3rd, basically it was whiplash times two. ~ My big mistake~ I kept up my busy teaching schedule and practiced as if nothing happened, yup, me not paying attention! I was going through the motions, causing more harm. Then pain landed me in Urgent Care on July 8th. X-rays showed my neck way out of alignment. This caused the nerve pain, through right shoulder, armpit and right arm. Stabbing, burning and sharp pains in the armpit, shoulder, elbow as well as numbness in fingers and palm.
Even walking for more than a few minutes brought on the pain. Lying down and therefore sleep became elusive, even with prescribed muscle relaxers and large doses of Ibuprofen/Tylenol. (I spent many whole nights over bolsters in various restorative positions).
I drastically limited my “physical” practice of yoga. I would get discouraged; give up for a day or two, even skip traction and PT exercises. It was one step forward, two back, then two forward, one back. I charted the pain and the activities, investigating everything because I knew chronic weaknesses and tensions and habits were a part of the problem and awareness of these would be key in recovery.
I was horrible at resting and taking it easy. Things had to wait. I did little or no driving because that caused pain; I would tense up when driving (fear). I cut back teaching. I avoided social situations as the pain was so distracting that I found it hard to be patient and kind towards others. I could not pay attention (be present with people).
I wonder now, when other people are rude or nasty if it is because they are in pain?
After those first 30 days with no relief, I got a referral for an orthopedic doctor (a month out). I began chiropractic care August 20th (with someone I knew from yoga!): two times a week, now once a week, daily traction and stretching, all helpful and empowering.
Sept 7th, orthopedic doctor referred me to Physical Therapy, twice a week. This is very helpful. Oct 19th Ortho Doctor ordered MRI, Nov. 13th; we go over the report on Nov 30th. *
Before the injury I was at the peak of strength and flexibility of my whole life because of yoga. Each day is different and I am slow and careful not to overdo it. Some yoga asana I may never do again. My ego really struggled with this at first!
But, I did not lose yoga!
I can still do plenty asanas and continue a practice. I learned the value of holding poses, especially restorative poses five minutes and longer. I do a super slow, limited practice, and rest. I started practicing more, and varied Pranayama (breath control) which has been transformative, for my whole being!
Though slow, there is steady progress. I found inspiration from others, who struggle with injuries or disabilities. This experience has brought me closer to people in my life; it has motivated me to continue getting closer and connected to more people. I have more awareness and attention for people with disabilities and their struggles.
I let friends and healers help me rather than, “tough-it-out alone”. (A habit I learned early that this culture re-enforces). My partner Steve was great support; I realized I wanted our home together and moved in without reservation (and with help and support from friends).
Humans support and help each other. This is what makes us strong. This is how we have overcome tyrants and disasters throughout history! I am stronger because I cried on friends’ shoulders, asked for help, and stopped doing so much all the time. I help others when I can have true attention towards them and then it is a joy.
Our shared humanity is our joy, it is our strength.
I wish you all a Blessed Season, free of oppression, This and Peace into the New Year!
Peace, Christina
PS. *Orthopedic Dr. said No surgery, no shots! I am surprized I'm healing so well now!
