Finding More onthe Mat by Michelle Marchildon

Author:Michelle Marchildon
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-942493-09-9
Publisher: Hohm Press

A Lesson From the Mat

Practice Peace—Ahimsa

Learning to be kind to ourselves is really at the heart of our yoga practice. It goes to the heart of the Sanskrit word ahimsa, to do no harm. We start with ourselves.

When we practice yoga, each pose becomes an offering to the highest. If you can achieve new depth even for one or two seconds, the experience is pure bliss, ananda. It is a glimpse into our greatness. But you cannot experience bliss if you are engaged in a war on any level.

Working through pain, working against pain, ignoring pain, are wars against the body. The pain exists to get your attention. Of course, we love the poses, but we have to love our body first. Loving your body is loving you.

Honor thy body; it is the only one you get. If there are days when your balance is off, then hold onto a wall or a chair. If there are days when you do not feel well enough to go upside down, then don’t go upside down. If there are days when your breath is short and shallow, then by all means focus on nothing more than inhaling and exhaling in a comfortable seated position.

In practice, if I am at the edge of my abilities, I wait. There is no hurry. There is always tomorrow. Every pause becomes a chance to observe and learn. While growing older has given me many gifts, the greatest is compassion, not only for others but also for myself. I’ve learned that sometimes backing off a posture is love. Sometimes going deeper is love. Knowing the difference is wisdom.

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