your work is here

kim on 7:25 pm August 6th, 2009 / 1 Comment »

I was in my weekly yoga class yesterday, sitting in a long seated forward fold, pascimottanasana. My teacher walked up behind me and said, “See, now here’s where your work is. Your work is here.” And she touched my back in three places, which I have expertly drawn for you in the picture below.

Specifically, she was referring to the center of my shoulder blades, to the middle of my thoracic spine (the circle), and to several muscles on the back-side body (the lines that the two arrows are pointing to).

She said, “You need you open the spine here (at the circle) with less effort here (where the lines are).”

Her touch, and her insight, had an immediate effect not just on my pose but on my awareness. I was instantly aware of space in the circle and relaxation where those lines are. And so my forward fold deepened. Literally, those simple actions deepened the fold at my hip creases, and further forward I went.

I tend to believe that all specific actions in one pose can be layered into all poses — this is how an asana practice advances. Instead of focusing on one thing or another, it becomes a matter of emphasis depending on what shape you are trying to make. So while, for the rest of the class, we didn’t do a whole lot more forward folding, I still focused on these places in my body and noticed what else gave way.

I feel lucky, because a) my teacher has practiced yoga for more than 20 years, and b) this commitment to the practice empowers her greatly in the art and science of seeing bodies as she saw mine. I strongly encourage you as a yoga student to want this perception from your teachers.  Most highly trained yoga teachers spend thousands of hours a year turning their inner eyes to their own bodies so that they can see the truth in yours.

It’s insights like this that will transform your practice — and it’s a transformed practice that transforms your life.

1. 
   On August 7th, 2009 at 2:10 pm Leah Said:

   and kim, that’s eXactly why i love YOUR classes! (if you recall, you pretty much did just that–in about those places–with my forward fold last week…)