Moving Into Darkness

To move into the unknown, we have to step out of our comfort zone.  To paraphrase Andre Gide, we must consent to lose sight of the shore if we are to venture to new lands.  As we let go of the attic junk that no longer serves us – be it a habit, relationship, attachment, or literal stuff – we are creating a blank space.  And before we rush to fill the void, we can take the opportunity to sit in this space.  To be with the unknown, the imperfection, the mess, the confusion.  As we grow familiar with this uncomfortable place, we are less likely to act reactively to fill the void. Instead, we can become friendly with the openness.  And when we do choose to fill the space, we can act consciously rather than reactively.

In yoga, we can practice moving into the unknown through our inversion practice.  Whether we are moving into headstand, handstand, or forearm stand, we are switching our worldview and moving into unfamiliar territory.   Literally, we change our perspective.  More important than the state of the pose is our state of mind.  As we approach something different, can we remain open to a sense of play rather than judgment?  Can we allow for the space to explore rather than fix?  And can we be compassionate with ourselves as we venture into unknown territory?

By practicing compassion and risk in inversions, we prepare ourselves for letting go in other areas of our life.  As we approach the winter solstice, set an intention to create space.  Let go of that which no longer serves you.  I invite you to frame the intention as follows: “With great compassion for myself, I AM letting go of ______.”

With compassion and abandon, step into the unknown.

Fanning the Inner Fire

The increasing darkness of winter is an invitation to move more deeply into our shadow selves.  We can hunker down, get internal, and examine what pieces of ourselves no longer serve.  It is time to clear out space and let go of old habits and limiting patterns, so that when the sun begins to come back, we have room to create anew.

To clear out the old, we begin with detoxification.  Manipura chakra is the center of willpower and is associated with the fire element.  The solar plexus is also the seat of digestion and the digestive fires, which can burn out the restrictions of energy at the base.  As we inhale, we fan the flames down to these blockages.  The exhalation reinforces uddiyana bandha and mula bandha, which draw these blocks up into the fire to be purified.  Thus, the power of the breath and the fire of our bodies work together to unleash our energetic potential.

While physical movements such as sun salutations and standing poses certainly heat our bodies, it is the the effort to focus and our will to concentrate that fans the flames.   Moving into twists to tone the abdomen and balancing poses to strengthen the mind, we purify the physical and energetic body simultaneously  – burning away dis-ease and attachment.

In the darkness of winter, we create our own internal sun.