A bit in fear of what might be expected of my sore body at yoga class today, I needn't have worried. Probably because it was another hot, humid day, our class this morning was about contacting many different parts of our pelvis, hips, legs, chest, and spine, all from a supine position on our backs or in downward facing dog stretch, adho mukha svanasana. Yes we did setubandha and a headstand too, salamba sirsasana against the wall, that was so, so quiet because of our work with the sacrum and hip bones, and a shoulder stand, salamba sarvangasana, with high elevation under our shoulders, with a concentration once again on the function of the sacrum, and sit bones. Overall, today's class was a quiet, thoughtful, inward looking class that sensitized us to an awareness of our own body's workings.
The second class was also a joy. I learned a good way to contact my shoulders by using my hands against the wall at shoulder height, emphasizing contact with the wall with the crowns of my thumb joints. That pressure signalled my shoulders to open evenly, while usually one shoulder opens more than the other. There is always something new to learn in every class.
While David, the tired teacher who had reached the end of another week napped at home, I decided to walk the dogs, the two black Labrador retrievers, Mr. Bear and Ms. Maddy. It was 4pm by then and it was so hot on the dykelands that my back felt like a camp fire was one foot away from it. Instead it was the sun's heat claiming ownership of my back. Then I noticed the hum of the bees, working hard amongst the plentiful clover blossoms that seemed to be everywhere on the pastureland. As I carefully stepped through the clover I imagined how fearful a walk that would be for someone with anaphylactic shock issues. One mistep would anger a bee which might retaliate.
This thought brought me to my morning's fear of what might happen in yoga class. When we hold ourselves in fear it doesn't help us. A better approach is either to change direction and thus avoid what makes us afraid (and perhaps face it again later) or become very calm and confident as we proceed forward in the direction of our fears. Sometimes it is our anticipation of events that makes us fearful. The event will work itself out.
It is all about trust. If we live our life with good intentions we can trust that things will work out for us.
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