This month I would like to talk about a technique that I use in every single asana that I practise and teach. I am hoping that you will also practise your yoga this way from now on. This technique is literally called “Love”, but to be very precise, it is actually the practise of Metta, a Pali (Buddhist language) word that describes unconditional love and kindness.
Let me explain. You know when you have to take medicine that you already know tastes yucky? Your face screws up and the body is all tense and before you have even taken the medicine, you can already taste its awful flavour in your mouth? Well, this is how a lot of people go through their yoga practise.
Scared of the stretch, tense and afraid before they have even started, frightened of being an embarrassment and of course not in the best frame of mind to practise yoga.
Let’s flip this idea on its head. When yoga time arrives, view your body and YOUR practise of yoga with unconditional loving kindness, allow yourself to accept your limitations but understand that with time and patience, there will be change.
When the heart and mind are soft and focussed on love and kindness, the physical body will follow in kind. Soft minds will create soft bodies, on the same token that frustrated and fearful minds will create frustrated, fearful bodies.
The habit of practising patience and loving kindness to release physically tight and tense situations on the yoga mat will also follow you into tight and tense situations in everyday life. You will find you have a better tolerance and a happier outlook in stressful situations.
So, please for the rest of the year, let us practise yoga with mettaand enjoy a happier and stress-free year.
Metta,
Kim oxo