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Shavasana, The yoga pose that change my life

Hello,

Happy September!

I seriously can't believe how fast time is flying by.

Life gets busier, a modern life that seems more indisputable. It's overwhelming and stressful for sure.  And one thing for me that makes a great impact when dealing with all those pressure when I have yoga in my daily life.

I have practiced yoga for many years now, but I can still remember my early days when I would itch to get off my mat during Shavasana. The stillness, That I am not being friends with in the beginning. I  rather have much chaturanga in my practice rather than lie there motionless. There were many times that I would set my mat next door so I can sneak off from class real quick as soon as it was over. 



I'll admit that time the stillness can still be very difficult for me. Not just in the mat, but within the overall frame of my life.

Then I came to read some yoga articles. That there is one term in yoga practice, Svadhyaya which is the term for the practice that studying Oneself. Through Svadhyaya we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and cultivate an inner strength that is invaluable in times of real adversity. So despite the discomfort that you feel, there is so much else to observe yourself. 

Not sure when it started, But over time the stillness in Shavasana become more tolerable, and then it became inviting. I can clearly see the changes that I experienced both on and off my mat.

In stillness, I am forced to see everything that constantly tries to avoid. When things get quiet and still all the levels of anxiety try to creep in and it becomes difficult to sit in oneself. But the motion of steady pace makes me realize that I am the one who creates the room, the room that is less controlled and going with the flow of my breathing.

Within breathing, I started to question, started to wonder: what made me want to keep from the practice that I had, what is the difficulty I see in my pose, and what are the challenges that I have to deal with in my practice?

If I was escaping the difficulty on my mat, by quickly moving on from one thing to the next. It is exactly a reflection of the way I escaped difficulty in my life.

This tool of simple observation began to transfer from my mat to various aspects of my life. I felt much more fulfilled when I focused on the quality of my interaction rather than the quantity. By committing less, I began to feel more present. It is a similar feeling when I do my shavasana now- so alive in each moment of simply breathing.

So take a moment and come to stillness. Whether is on your mat, on your bed, or on your floor. Notice where your mind goes. Is the thought racing in and taking over? Are you feeling an urge to move forward and get away? This is the chance for you to examine why.

See if you can let yourself watch your thought. See those minds come in and without clinging or judging, let them pass. 



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