Practicing for Harmony of Mind and Body
As Yoga practitioners I'm sure you're all aware of the astounding physical benefits of a regular asana practice. But what is it that keeps you coming back to the mat? Even more than the physical benefits of yoga, the practice’s unique ability to dissolve stress and leave us feeling refreshed, clear, and in tune with who we really are is where the real magic happens. The mind and the body, which are usually out of sync with one another, become unified and our energy comes into balance. To practice for the less obvious results of yoga, you will find that you have to shift your emphasis to the subtle, or energetic body. The tricky part about this is, that the subtle body is, well, subtle. It takes a lot of focus as well as the ability to surrender the mind to come into touch with your energy and to be able to expand and strengthen its flow.
In the earlier stages of practice, the mind can be a very dominant force on the mat. You may feel driven by images of a strong, athletic body, or by an intense desire to 'succeed' in yoga. All sorts of mental ideals and patterns drive and shape our practice, as they do our lives. This is great! Having a strong motivation, either for perfecting your alignment or taking that extra chatturanga, is very important!
However, if your practice is to evolve into more subtle territory, your mind must learn to let go of its desire to be the leader. Personally, it took a couple of injuries before I really understood that I could not control the course of my practice, or when I would be able to sit in Lotus pose (my once thought pinnacle of yogic perfection). Eventually, a shift in focus has to take place to allow the natural intelligence of the body and the breath to unfold a practice organically. If you can make this leap, then your practice will take on an entirely new dimension as you learn to expand your awareness of your energy and bring your mind and body into harmony.
There are a couple of things you can keep in mind in order to help make this shift, most importantly the breath. My first yoga teacher (who taught ISHTA) used to say that, "the breath is your truth serum." The breath is a moment-by-moment expression of how we are relating to our practice and to life. If you are ever unsure of yourself in a pose, shift your attention to the breath. While practicing asana or pranayama, always strive to maintain as smooth and relaxed breath as you can. Pay attention to times you strain or hold the breath in a pose and where the blockages occur; these are the places where energy flow becomes compromised. Find a little more space and adjust your posture so that the breath feels natural again. If you are practicing with Ujayi breath, make sure it is not so powerful that it is closing off your throat. A little softness goes a long way.
To focus and expand your awareness even further, take your attention to the physical sensations you are feeling during your practice. Always be sure to take some time to rest during asana, both as a physical release and as a way to connect more deeply internally. Stand in Tadasana for a few extra breaths between Sun Salutations or take an extra child's pose. During these times, let your focus rest on the feelings within the body--the breath, the pulse, the heat, and the magnetic glow of your own energy. Let your whole asana practice be a means to cultivate and expand this internal awareness.
While in a poses that require a lot of strength, feel how as the muscles work synergistically, how the whole body becomes connected and you experience a sense of lightness and freedom! Notice how keeping the standing leg engaged in a balance pose is more about your mind's focus than your actual strength. While stretching, find a level of intensity in the stretch where you can let your whole body release--if you can't relax move out of the stretch a little. See if you can separate the mental reaction to the stretch ("ow it hurts!") from the pure sensation of it.
These are all tools for strengthening our connection to the subtle body and opening to the spontaneous flow of energy. If our minds are dominating our practice, then our patterns of holding tension and resisting the open flow of energy will follow us onto the mat. If we can learn to let the body and the breath show us our true yoga, then our potential is limitless.
