Hi everyone
Last month we worked on the least flashy, yet most important aspect of yoga: breathing. And golly does it take work! It’s a sneaky phenomenon…breath drifts in and out of control depending on how strenuous the activity (or thoughts!) Ironically, sometimes we hold our breath when we need it the most.
It’s quite wonderful to be in a roomful of hard-working yogis who cultivate such equanimity that panic and ego-driven gasps cannot be heard. When I remind my students to let breathing drive the duration of a pose or movement, the pace literally slows by half.
So how do we make sure that our breath stays front and center? Practice. There are lots of different breathing techniques worth exploring. Some are energizing, some cooling, some heating, some calming. But breath work really all comes down to these reminders:
• every posture and transition is an opportunity to improve breathing
• strength and flexibility are beneficial side effects of good breathing
• breathing drives the speed of movement, not the reverse
• if it's hard to breathe, then an adjustment to speed or shape is necessary
Here’s a mindful breath practice that incorporates these points in an easy way:
Sit comfortably
Inhale and exhale through your nose
Be patient with your breath
Lengthen your breath, just a little
Introduce a pause after an inhale, then continue when it feels right
Introduce a pause after an exhale, then continue when it feels right
Observe your chest and stomach expand with an inhale
Observe your chest and stomach contract with an exhale
Bring your palms together in front of your chest
Open your arms out to the sides while you inhale fully
Bring your palms back together while you exhale fully
Repeat this breath-driven movement four more times
Challenge yourself to really focus on subtle, calm breathing during your practice, and throughout your day. The payoff of good breath awareness is immense.
A new gig.
Starting in December, I’m honored to be teaching yoga the first two Fridays of each month at Sunnylands. These classes are quite a phenomenon - up to 300 people of all ages and abilities from around the world appear on the lawn of this beautiful, historic site. Those of you who are local, come and try it out! It’s a fun, free, socially-distanced outdoor experience. Get there early! 10am start time.
A new platform.
I’m switching to a new booking system on January 1 so if you’re an active student, you’ll get an email prompting you for updated contact and billing info. You'll also gain access to your account so you can check in on class schedule and credits.
Happy practice!
Stefane