\u201cHABITS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INATTENTION\u201d Benjamin Franklin.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Yoga postures are often done with the same tone that one would be driving, sitting, reading, or working.\u00a0 That is they are practiced habitually. \u00a0 Your practice is a moment-to-moment source of refreshing awareness, which when met with deep breathing, shapes the body from the inside as new spaces expand while moving and creating more. \u00a0 Your breath makes the unfamiliar, familiar. \u00a0\u00a0Finding one\u2019s own Breath within practice will move one into the artistry of Yoga.\u00a0 The sculptor.\u00a0 The Yogi.\u00a0 Finding an inner space of peace and happiness. \u00a0Focusing your mind on the pathways of breathing wakes us up from the habits that continue to trap energy, thoughts, muscle and attitudes that shape the body from the outside instead of from the inside. <\/span><\/p>\n Yoga, in its’ popularity has taken a very physical approach. Disregarding the essence of spirit within the practice expresses yoga as just another sophisticated exercise program. There is nothing wrong with getting a great workout with yoga.\u00a0 However, as a student matures in their practice, they will want something more, or yoga will just be on their list of \u201cwhat they do, what they have done, and on to the next,\u201d be it Pilates or any other new form of exercise away from yoga. <\/span><\/p>\n My teaching evolved from the tradition of BKS Iyengar.\u00a0\u00a0Iyengar brought tremendous awareness to the subtleties of asana practice. However, It doesn\u2019t matter what style a student comes from, it matters where they are inside their practice.\u00a0\u00a0It can be a student of Iyengar, Anasura, Bikram, etc. If practice becomes mechanical then the essence of yoga is lost. New habits develop and old habits remain. <\/span><\/p>\n In the beginning of my yoga journey, I was young and ambitious and a good workout was all I cared about, but with maturity came an intriguing observation from my body adjusting to the changes coming from age and stress. <\/span>In order to stay balanced I had to become much more subtle in my adjustments and my breathing as my postures began evolving to a new level of practice. <\/span><\/p>\n When I teach a class and I observe students falling into postures with little understanding of why and what they are doing, I know that there is something missing in their practice.\u00a0 When students are doing yoga habitually and mechanically, they are more likely to quickly grow bored with their practice. \u00a0They move from their head rather than from their heart and from inner guidance. \u00a0Habits in Yoga poses exacerbates the weak, sleepy areas becoming prone to injury since little awareness of balancing strengths and weaknesses leads to injury sooner or later. \u00a0Often I will ask all of my students to find a new spot in the room to place their mats. Wow! \u00a0What disruption that causes. \u00a0Total confusion! <\/span><\/p>\n Yoga is transformational.\u00a0 Yoga asanas are playgrounds to explore the balance of your posture, lifting energy and refining your awareness of how you can move through life much lighter within your body.\u00a0 The element of surprise is lost upon the poor habits of one\u2019s practice.\u00a0 Students react to their poses as though they are etched in stone. \u00a0Whatever they did the last time they were in the pose, it is going to be the same. “This is where I was last time so this is all I can do today.” \u00a0How do you know?\u00a0 Have you explored the possibility in this moment, in this breath?\u00a0\u00a0Our postures are not written in stone.\u00a0 When we move into a pose and decide without exploration, that this is it, we deny the potential for possibility. Each breath is unique and lends itself to new possibilities of movement and awareness in the poses.<\/span><\/p>\n Not only does the student want to pay attention to possible movement and alignment but also to dropping away of tension and secret stresses. \u00a0Habit in posture creates tensions that when we are unaware of them will add to chronic pain and discomfort.<\/p>\n The art of finding, knowing, and refining one’s breath will develop one’s own confidence to find the excited and interested inner teacher sparking off constant revelations. \u00a0Being in the presence of the breath leads to the freedom to create with Yoga. \u00a0When there is an injury, there are poses to address it. \u00a0When there is emotional upheaval, there are poses to soothe.<\/span><\/p>\n So the next time you step into your yoga class with your yoga mat, find a spot that you haven’t sat in before. Look for possibilities and be ready to be surprised.<\/span><\/p>\n When you are at the beach or a park, find a beautiful spot and strike a pose.\u00a0 Yoga is your ticket to freedom no matter what is going on outside of yourself. <\/span> \u00a9shelley piser 2009<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cHABITS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INATTENTION\u201d Benjamin Franklin. Yoga postures are often done with the same tone that one would be driving, sitting, reading, or working.\u00a0 That is they are practiced habitually. \u00a0 Your practice is a moment-to-moment source of refreshing awareness, which when met with deep breathing, shapes the body from the inside as new spaces expand while moving and… <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/writeon-yoga.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/04\/img_0481.jpg\" "\\"img_0481\\"")
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