Yoga unlocks my body. Whether it is gentle movement or vigorous flows, tension and heaviness leave my body, leaving me light and relaxed when I sit down to write. Yoga was first meant to do just that: release tension in the body so that we may sit with as little physical discomfort as possible in meditation.
Yoga unlocks the stories in my mind that keep me small. Stories like I am lazy or not enough. These stories are stored in the body and yoga releases them or brings them to the surface so that I can then question them. Asking is that really true? More often than not, it is not true.
Yoga unlocks mindfulness. It allows me to be present no matter what I am doing: yoga, grocery shopping, cooking dinner, washing dishes, writing. Mindfulness is about being fully present to the task at hand. Writing requires that deep presence, otherwise I am just skimming the surface of my material.
Yoga unlocks my ability to stay in discomfort. On my mat, I learn to breathe into a pose that creates challenging sensations in my body. Instead of turning away from the discomfort, I find my edge and lean into it. Writing can bring up a lot of discomfort. Now I have the tools and experience to stay with the discomfort, to lean into it instead of away from it.
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