Yoga In My Backyard

Balance…that beautiful internal place where effort and surrender are in harmony. When you feel on your game, peaceful and content, satisfied and fulfilled, energized yet calm, alert and well-rested, body systems are working well, and breath flows with ease – all within the circumstances and current conditions you are in (even if they are chaotic, uncertain, weird). A feeling where you need no more and no less; sometimes a brief momentary feeling and sometimes a blissfully extended period of time. For many of us, we have been living so far away from balance on a regular basis that even though we recognize the imbalance, it is SO HARD to return to a state of harmony. We wait for something external to bring us there, or we blame the imbalance on the external, or we fail to acknowledge the very things we are doing to ourselves that bring us out of balance. Balance is not an end-state, nor is it a permanent state, but more a fluid dance of yin and yang from moment to moment. We can be off kilter for a bit then back in the centre, then off again, and back again. How do we stay closer to the centre and less off balance for longer?

Paying attention and noticing how you FEEL is the key to finding your own state of balance. Observing patterns and impulses and tendencies while being open and compassionate and kind to yourself. Before you can let GO you have to notice and let BE…gently. The mantra that has been in the forefront of my mind lately is “Hold it lightly” thanks to the book, “Emotional Agility” by Susan David. Sometimes we attach ourselves to those things that we desperately want to let go of… so if we acknowledge what we are holding on to, then willingly loosen the grip and hold it all lightly, maybe we create space for those unwanted things to seemingly just float away. And then the scales tip so balance can be restored. That’s what I am noticing…

Here is a short slow-flow standing practice I’ve been experimenting with and it really seems to help balance me. Maybe it will be helpful for you, too! It is simple and basic; moves the spine in all directions; helps to stretch the whole body; is gentle enough to do in the evening when you are winding down; you can make it more active to be an energizing morning routine; it encourages you to breathe and move in sync; and you could even modify it to be done from a chair. Try it for a week or more…and see what you think. Returning to balance is a lifetime practice and individual to each of us. Each time you return to YOUR centre, SMILE!