Although unable to retreat to somewhere warm this year, I did manage to retreat into the pages of a very inspiring book. I can highly recommend "The Mastery of Love" by Don Miguel Ruiz. The wisdom of the Toltec tradition from which it is based, leads us down a path similar to the ancient Yogic texts. The notion that struck a chord for me was how he illustrates the two basic emotions of Fear and Love, like two tracks. Love has no expectations. Fear is full of obligations and is full of expectations. That is why fear hurts and love does not. As Ruiz goes on to explain;
“We expect something and if it doesn't happen, we feel hurt - it isn’t fair. We blame others for not fulfilling our expectations. When we love, we don’t have any expectations.”
In life we always have a choice which one of those tracks we to travel down.
We are always free to focus upon whatever we wish to grow, choosing love over fear just like a seed that we choose to grow. When we practice Yoga we sharpen our focus, beginning first with the physical postures, then perhaps we get introduced to opening up the breath as a means to find a deeper connection to balance both the body & mind.
The breath is also the vehicle for the Life force energy that runs through me and runs through you , it is the same life force that runs through every living thing. Unlike many things, it is totally free, we just need to liberate, regulate and harness it's potential. One way to do this is through the practice of Prānāyāma.
May the force be with you.
2020 motivated me to start, what is now known as Pyjama Pranayama an opportunity to cultivate Love over Fear in our Pyjamas in 2021.
These 30min sessions run every Saturday at 9am Monday at 7am
We use a quad-ratio technique that helps cultivate a pause in the exhale and the inhale, this is a method of natural retention without forcing. From this relaxed state we can move onto the practice of Pranayama, with specific techniques that have enormous therapeutic benefits.
Lets meet each moment with openness, curiosity and kindness. These breathing techniques are powerful practices that modern scientific research has shown to produce impressive psychological and health benefits. Some of these are:
· Decreased cardiovascular risk factors
· Improved immune function and reduction in common inflammatory conditions
· Reduced anxiety, depression, insomnia, and menopausal symptoms
· Improved mental function
· Reduced production of stress hormones
· Improved memory, creativity, and individual effectiveness
· Reduction in habitual or addictive behaviours
· Increased sense of peacefulness and compassion toward oneself and others
Lets evolve from an overstimulated, reactive & disconnected state, unable to know which way to turn. To a more conscious, centred, focused state of mind. 💫Come and join us to transform the habits and unconscious patterns of your breath, come and celebrate the ‘breath of life’ 💫the key to healthy body and mind.
Should you wish to learn more about the way in which we can move past the physical restrictions and open the breath through various techniques such as Kriyas, please click the link to the Breath of Lifeworkshop January 23rd & 24th which will be live and zoomed.
This is also a Further Training ( CPD ) for teachers.Love & Light, one breath at a time.
Vicki