Day 44 of 90: Moksha Yoga, Courtship and Cupid

Well day 44 of 90 straight days of hot yoga at Moksha Yoga LA finds me in the middle of long courtship, a very long courtship.  I laid on my mat and closed my eyes and focused on my breath, and two strange questions came up, “Who would I be without my breath? Who would I be without my thoughts?” and so my journey started today from there. The funny thing was the answers, “Who would I be without my breath?” answer, “Dead”. And the answer to the second question was “I would soar!”.  And I felt the answer in my body, the soaring felt wonderful, and I glimpsed myself without a thought; such freedom too!

Emily B our teacher entered the womb (studio), and brought up in Moksha class today the idea of focusing on what she called, “Cupid”, the marriage of mind and breath in the practice. She asked us to “notice” ourselves in each pose.  Simply notice how we are being in each pose, while marrying the mind and breath together.  It was then I realized that I have been in a courtship for many years and today my breath whom I call Grace met her man (Men-tal).  In today’s practice their courtship began, for the first time they noticed each other and they liked what they saw.  Grace appreciated the Men-tal’s excitement to go and take the adventure, and in turn the Men-tal appreciated Grace with her strength, patience, and compassion.  Together they merged in a union in each pose.  When the Men-tal wanted to push, Grace brought her breath in and balanced the pose. It was a wonderful dance of breath and mind working together with the body.

I noticed how much stronger I have become in each pose and in some poses I noticed how quickly I want to run, but I was able to use Emily’s tool of noticing the pose itself and then my breath helped balance me into it, with grace. Practice today had slower movements into the poses and I loved it.  I was able to notice  places that I wanted to simply push through and not rest in.  It was also helpful to have the mind and breath work together.  I realize this is practice and so it feels good to see movement and growth and also places to go into.  The courtship continues….Namaste

Day 45 here I come….

  David Matthew Brown