Feel The Flow at Yoga Center of Key Biscayne: Key Biscayne, FL: February 9, 2019
“When you do things from the soul, you feel a river moving within you, a joy”—Rumi. Practicing Sivananda Yoga with my friend Sandy.
I have fond memories of Sivananda yoga. Early in sobriety I found Durga Leela and Swami Sita at the Sivananda Ashram in Grass Valley, California. You never know for sure what helps sobriety stick but I'm almost positive early teachings shared by these two in the Sivananda tradition helped a lot so the whole practice today was a connection with joy and gratitude, although I have to admit some of the practices and poses were difficult. Like a 5 minute headstand. Like an extended duration in shoulderstand. Those are hard poses, still after more than 15 years on the mat.
One of the things I love about the practice, other than it saved me of course, is resting in savasana between each pose. Like a throwback to the 1960's. Its really not done in many classes I've come across recently, so it felt particularly interesting. There’s so much information stored in the body. I mean I’m writing a whole book based on what downloaded from the mat.
Elizabeth Gilbert in her book Big Magic shed light on the source of creativitiy. Its not that a person is a genuis, it that we all have a genuis. we all have the ability to be creative, we just need to open to the flow. This is the purpose of yoga (PYS 2.2), to remove our blocks in order to cultivate the flow. Its good for our personal well being, and its good for the world because generally we are nicer when we are not in pain.
If you’re not flowing, by definition, you’re clogged. One of the definitions of pain is “stuck energy”. Generally I”m a runner, meaning out of the four ways we try to rid ourselves of pain-fight, flight, freeze or fold-I get moving. That’s why the practice of yoga has been helpful for me because it requires I pay attention as I move. It helps me eventually be able to sit still. With myself and with others.
To feel emotions means to allow them to arise in the body and notice the sensations that occur, to allow yourself to be present and observe. Pain triggers childhood wounds, and we often revert to versions of ourselves that aren't logical. Bringing these phantom fears into view and dashing them onto paper has been useful. Maybe that’s why I love to practice yoga , and be with friends, and love to write about it all. Because really, its love that heals everything.
Health, Love, and Rock and Roll