Yoga Heights and Transform
I never comprehended what I heard when people said to find your edge in yoga. In my case, it was simply a matter of putting my toes and attempting to avoid falling over. Nothing was the same when I did not simply pose and began touching them.
It was the time when I had the first glimpse of my real heights in yoga. It was not a physical climax, it was an elevation of intense and still clarity in which my mind and body were in complete accord. My experience of reaching such a great place had taught me all and I have come here to lead you on the path of discovering your own.
What are Yoga Heights, are They?
I mean heights of yoga when I refer to a handstand that is on the top of the mountain (which would be Instagram worthy!). For me, it’s a personal summit. It is that time of breakthrough in your practice when working doesn’t seem like work. It’s the place when you can stand in a position that you never thought that you could, when you can breathe through a frustration moment with composure or when you can finally shut off the noise inside your mind with an hour-long session.
To be on top of your yoga heights is to have access to the best and the most genuine version of yourself on and off your mat. It is a sense of upliftment that lingers on even after you have pulled up your mat.
Three Shifts on My Way to the Higher Practice.
My practice myself had been languishing on a plateau. I was rehearsing the motions, but I was not developing. The transition to a deeper practice occurred when I consciously altered in three aspects.
1. I Competition For Compassion Traded.
I could look at the other person on the mat beside me and comparing my stretch to his or her. My ego was running the show. My breakthrough was when I resolved to make the practice a dialogue between me and my body. I began to use such expressions as, What do you need today? but rather, Why does not then you can do that? This self-embracement was the initial step on the mountain.
2. I Learned to Breath into Discomfort/.
I believed that my breathing could be stopped and then I will have enough strength to overcome a difficult posture. I was wrong. My teacher informed me that, the breath is the elevator to your yoga heights. I discovered to direct my breath directly to my quads when I started experiencing a shake in Warrior II. The meaning of this small gesture was to change the feeling of pain to power, struggle to sustainable work.
3. I Took the Strength of Consistency over Intensity.
I had a mindset of all or none. In case I was not able to do 90 minutes class, I did nothing. Now, I show up. On other days, I do it with 20 minutes of light stretching on the floor of my living room. On other days, it is an intense vinyasa.
It is the consistency of appearance, including a minor one, which created the pillar of strength and discipline which enabled my real heights in yoga to shine.
Practical Steps to Grow your own Yoga Heights.
You do not even have to have a fancy studio or a perfect body to embark on this journey. You just need willingness.
The following are the steps which worked against me. Pre-Birth Intention: Have a Micro-Intention: Just before you roll out your mat, have a small intention that is focused.
It may be I will smile once in my practice or I will listen to my lower back. This centers your mind.
Take a Moment to Check In: In all poses, make sure you connect with the parts of your bodyon the ground. Do you have your feet on Downward Dog? Do you have heavy sitting bones in a sitting forward bend? Everything that is above it grows and develops with a solid base.
Add Peak Poses: Select one moderate-to-challenging pose to practice this week. It may be Crow Pose or an advanced backbend. Do not practice hoping to be perfect, but with interest. Explore its components. Such effort is concentrated on the peak of the mountain.
Finish with Stillness: Stillness is the height of real yoga. Your practice should be followed by sitting or lying still at least two minutes after your physical exercise. Feel the electricity vibrating in your body. It is in this assimilation that the magic is cemented.
View From the top: Life Beyond the Mat.
The prettiest aspect of this trip is the way that it rolls over into your whole life. The yoga heights that I practice on my mat have provided me with the means of my daily life. I now take a breath and then respond in a stressful work meeting.
I do not fear challenges but am curious to learn more. When I do something wrong, I am more sympathetic to myself. My experience taught me that there are no big jumps that growth involves, but a number of small, conscious steps. The vigor, equilibrium and coherence that I have developed are with my company always.
Your Ascent Starts Now
Waiting to give you your heights of yoga. They are not a place, but a progression of beautiful personal achievements. It is not about being the best it is about being your best, most connected self. Let your mat be your mountain. Your breath be your guide. And thou, to thy heart. The climb itself is the gift.
Short Q&A: Your Questions, Answers, on Yoga Heights.
I’m not flexible. Am I in any way able to go high in yoga?
Absolutely! The flexibility does not need to be a precondition of yoga. The matter of your touching your toes is irrelevant to your yoga heights. Start where you are.
What is the time frame of seeing progress?
Progress isn’t always linear. After one of the classes, you might experience a deep change in your mind, and it can take weeks to experience a physical difference. It is all about practice.
Is there any special type of yoga that I need?
No. It is your way to whatever style, whether mild Restorative, or vigorous Ashtanga. The most appropriate style is one that fits you and your mind at the moment. Find out and observe what rings.