Week of 8/25/2019 Intention for the week: Balancing. For the past few weeks in our classes, we have been beginning as usual with our meditation. First we scan our bodies, minds and spirits and 'check in' on our best friends: ourselves. We take note of tightness and freedom, movement and congestion, heaviness and lightness. Then we ground ourselves. We root deeply from the parts of our body feeling pressure. We feel ourselves being supported, being held, being anchored, and we breathe out into that letting go of anything keeping us from focusing on our breath. When we feel sufficiently grounded, led by our breath, we then begin to rise from the rooting, lengthening and finding space in our bodies. We lift from the back of our hearts to the front, and then release anything 'on our hearts' to trust that those matters are being taken care of. We let go, if not permanently, then at least just for this moment, this breath, maybe for this class. We lengthen to the top of our heads and release our minds to this trust in the same way, letting go to a power bigger than ourselves. When we feel sufficiently grounded, and lengthened, we then relax. We let go of any effort. We do not collapse, but rather settle into the moment of breath and trust. Balancing poses can be met with the same sequencing of action and non-action. Check in. Where is my mind, body, breath and spirit? Am I present? Which parts of the body are grounded? Grow down from there, feel the support. Then, use that support to push against to grow in the direction of the pose. Feel the energy down, feel the energy up. Lengthen. Center. Breathe. Then relax. Let go of any effort. Let the mind feel the stress and non-stress, the push and non-push, let the mind relax in the pose. Then rest. Re-center. Let go. Again, check in. Where did my mind go? What happened to my breath? What do I do when I am challenged? Use this as observation. Then let it go, and continue the practice.
