15 Apr 5 empowering lessons vinyasa yoga is teaching me
|| There’s only one way to embracing yoga and it’s the long way ||
Vinyasa Yoga, a form of yoga that intricately connects each breath with a movement, is a very rhythmic practice. Naturally, the experience differs based on the teacher – some may prefer you to sweat profusely, while others opt for a gentler approach. My deep dive into Vinyasa yoga began when I started my yoga teacher training. Before this adventure, I had practised yoga sporadically, exploring various styles without actually committing to one. But now, completely focused on Vinyasa, I am committed to fully embracing the ‘flow’. Along this journey of training and eventually teaching, I have learned five significant lessons that Vinyasa yoga has taught me the challenging way.
5 lessons at a glance
Lesson one
At first, I assumed I was breathing correctly, only to discover it was just my sympathetic system doing the automated job. I quickly became short of breath (even though I was no stranger to physical training), and realised my improper breathing technique was causing me to become exhausted and sweat excessively. In addition to improving my breath control, I also needed to work on my flexibility to make each movement more manageable.
Breathing through my nose while feeling winded seemed impossible.Eventually, I understood that enhancing both my breath control and my overall flexibility needed to be done through pranayama techniques and that would lead to smoother movements, decreased fatigue, and conserved energy. However, before this epiphany, I had to endure considerable heavy breathing, patience, and consistent practice to improve my flexibility. And there they were: broken dreams, old pains, past griefs, regrets, fears, anger, hopes, illusions – things I knew I had to say goodbye to but didn’t know how. And what hurt me the most was recognising that I, throughout my life, had also kept my heart in a prison. In an attempt to protect it from getting hurt, I actually deprived it from fully loving and accepting love. And why was I so afraid of getting hurt? Because of my own inability to fully and truly love myself.
Lesson two
Sun salutations, also called “surya namaskar”, appear elegant and smooth when observing others perform them. However, achieving such grace while executing a series of these poses in a row was initially challenging, especially for yoga beginners. It takes considerable effort to fluidly transition from one asana (pose) to another. But once you attain this yoga flow, you begin to understand the significance of linking breath with movement. This connection unites your body and mind, resulting in a completely different and extraordinary way to practise yoga This breakup really touched my deepest fibres, and reopened my most painful wounds, but in the end it also gave me one of the greatest gifts – I became my own home and the relationship with myself improved significantly. I am grateful this breakup happened but I also know just how insanely difficult it can be. So if you are going through something similar, first let me promise you: it all shall pass!
Lesson three
Focus is paramount; without it, all your efforts are futile. On days when my mind was exploding with thoughts, I experienced muscle aches due to my lack of mindfulness towards movement and posture. Incorporating mindfulness meditation into my practice helped me become more present and attentive during each asana. By concentrating on the postures or attentively listening to the instructor, you can avoid much of the pain and distress that comes from being mentally distracted. Staying present and mindful during practice is crucial to success.
Lesson four
Proper yoga breathing techniques can have a profoundly calming effect on the mind, making challenging postures or asanas more manageable. In the beginning, yoga poses like the boat pose (Navasana) were extremely difficult for me due to my weak core strength. When instructed to hold the pose, I would inadvertently hold my breath, hoping it would end soon, which only made my body shake and the situation worse. The solution was to focus on my breath, even in challenging poses. By doing so, I shifted my focus away from the difficulty and onto my breathing, ultimately opening the door to progress.
Lesson five
Balance is essential in life, and so is letting go of resistance. Despite my continuous training and dedication to improving my fitness and losing weight, I initially saw minimal progress. It wasn’t until I found the right balance in yoga, listened to my body’s needs, and connected with myself that I started to notice significant changes. Embracing the balance between body and mind and releasing resistance led to stress relief and a more effective yoga practice. As a result, my body responded positively (reduced fatigue, overall strength, weight loss), and I became more present in my practice. By incorporating these lessons into my Vinyasa yoga practice, I have deepened my understanding and appreciation for this style of yoga. It has allowed me to grow not only as a practitioner but also as a teacher, continuing to learn from every challenge that comes my way.
