"As within, so without"
But what about as without, so within?
One of the greatest things about yoga is the way that the physical movement can manipulate the energy of the mind and our emotions.
We talk a lot about the way emotions can manifest in our bodies, but the same is true in reverse.
Using the body as a tool to gain balance in the mind is the heart of any yoga practice. Yoga reveals to us the relationship that the body and the mind have and their ability to influence each other.
It only makes sense that your habitual physical patters will contribute to your habitual mental patterns as well.
Incorporating new movements, will beget new ways of thinking and being.
Eagle Pose is a great example of this mind, body connection at work. By focusing on balance in the body, it brings mental focus and clarity as well. It can also be quite detoxifying both lymphatically in the body and emotionally in the mind.
As a tool to explore deeper, try this:
Before your next practice, write down how you're feeling, both mentally and physically. After you finish practice, return to what you wrote and see what has shifted. Make note of the types of physical movements, the pace of the practice, the challenge or the ease you experienced on the mat.
What did each bring up for you emotionally? How does that coincide with what you are experiencing off the mat?
What visibility did you get into your underlying patters or behaviors? Don't judge, just observe.
