Ashtanga Yoga - the dance of life
BackPosted by Emma Lowther-Wright (BeBliss Yoga Preston with Emma) on 30 May 2018
One of the reasons I love the ashtanga yoga sequenced approach is that because we learn the sequence by repeating the same sequence we can practice it with a flowing 'intention' from beginning to end.
Right from finding a comfortable seat before we start to move, through to how we enter and exit each asana, to how we return to the front of the mat between asana and then how we lay down for the blissful savasana, we are moving with focus on breath and body.
We are moving with intention throughout, never dropping focus, never slumping, never wondering what's coming next, never losing our balance between effort and ease.
This can be difficult for those new to the practice so I like to explain that it's like a dance competition. No Strictly contestant is going to win the prize if they slump between striking Argentinian Tango poses, no matter how beautiful those poses might be.
I then liken this to life. It isn't the highlights that are important, the births, marriages and holidays. It's how we flow through all of life, enjoying every delicious moment granted to us by our breath.
This lesson informs how I live my life and how I approach teaching yoga, let's maintain flow and practice life with intention and appreciation for it ALL!