Most
of us who do yoga yearn for more from the practice than just
physical benefits--indeed, for more than just benefit to ourselves.
But how can twisting our bodies, opening our hips, and straightening
our legs make a difference in the wider world? How can lifting our
chests help lift up this troubled planet?
Our
asana practice can have a positive impact because it constantly asks
us to become more sensitive, more conscious, more aware of
ourselves--not just our bodies but also our minds, feelings, emotions,
and our very nature. The real value of asana practice is that it can
teach us to tune in and truly
feel. As our sensitivity
increases, life becomes more rich and enjoyable because we can taste
the unique flavor of each individual moment. More important, we also
become more aware of what moves us toward out dharma and what takes us
away from it. This awareness makes us clearer and more peaceful,
more able to elegantly handle life's endless dilemmas without feeling
overwhelmed or fearful. As a result, we become more effective in all
of our actions, and our presence begins to inspire and bring out the
best in people around us.
The
opposite of feeling is forcing. When we force, we cannot feel, and
when we feel, we cannot force. The moment we start to force, we begin
to lose awareness of the effect our efforts have on our nervous
system, on the situation itself, and on the other people involved.
Forcing makes us angry, inflexible, and intolerant; raises our blood
pressure; and can eventually create heart problems. Feeling, on the
other hand, makes us calmer, more receptive, more understanding, and
healthier.
If we force
ourselves into Ardha Matsyendrasana II (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
II), the spine will twist where it always has, where it needs the
twist the least. In this pose, it is particularly easy to force the
body while attempting to reach around the back and grab the shin. To
the extent that the desire to do this comes from the ego's urge to
satisfy itself--just to prove we can do this pose--it manifests
itself as force. Feeling, on the other hand, allows us to tune in to
the habitual tendencies of the body and sense which vertebrae are
twisting and which are not. Cultivating feeling in Ardha Matsyendrasana
II allows movement where there was stagnation, release where there
was stiffness, and freedom where there was bondage.
Just
as force and feeling are opposites, so are violence and awareness.
We often get angry, and sometimes even outwardly violent, when a
situation arises that is not to our ego's liking, rather than using it
as an opportunity to become more aware. But violence inevitably
breeds more violence. The more forceful and violent we are, the
further we move from feeling and awareness; consequently, the more
violent we become.
I believe
much of the violence in our world comes from our lack of awareness,
which has historically manifested itself as an unwillingness to see
other people's point of view. When we pause and feel, we become more
open and more receptive to the possibility that there are valid ways
of thinking other than our own.
Sensitivity
is often portrayed as weakness, yet it actually gives us the
strength to lower our guard and say to an enemy, "Let's sit down and
talk this through. How are you feeling? Why are you behaving the way
you are?" People who have the security that comes with deep
sensitivity and awareness have no desire to be violent; it is
insecurity that contributes to violence. Through feeling,
sensitivity, and awareness, we can bring insecurity and its resulting
violence to an end.
What does
all of this have to do with our individual practice of asanas like
Ardha Matsyendrasana II? The awareness that we develop on the yoga
mat, though seemingly small, affects all that is. As we become more
aware in our yoga practice and in our lives, as we move away from force
and violence and toward sensitivity, feeling and awareness, we
change our individual consciousness and actions. In turn, these
changes influence the consciousness and actions of everyone we meet.
Slowly we shift the direction the world is taking. As we practice
each asana, whether it be a challenging twist like Ardha
Matsyendrasana II or a simple standing pose, we have the opportunity
to become the embodiment of peace and to make our practice a prayer
for harmony in the world.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1424058
