Work with your body, not on it

Do not impose the posture or stretch on the body. Move slowly and deliberately, feeling and sensing your body and breathe. Allow the pose to reveal the restrictions and tensions in your body and then melt and soften those tensions from the inside out.

Feeling your body and thinking about your body are two different things. When we feel the body directly and simply, without judgment or interpretation, we are contacting the present moment. This is the key to progress in yoga. When we practice in this way all movements and adjustments unfold from ones present observation and participation with what is actually happening in the body in the moment. The majority of exercise is not done in a way that develops awareness and sensitivity. In the practice of Yoga, however, this is the focus.

When you practice yoga do not let your attention grip the body like a vise, but instead let your attention be soft, broad and steady. In time your sensitivity and awareness will deepen and more of your body will become accessible to you. The need for rapid progress or quick relief will only create unnecessary tension. Practice with patience and consistency. Real and lasting change takes time.

Remain attentive to the breath for transformation. It will bring a sense of peacefulness.  Breathe- soften your belly, solar plexus and chest and feel your breath. There is no need to force a deep breath. Feel the tensions in the body that are restricting the breath and soften them. While performing a yoga pose, direct the breath into the sensations created by the stretch. A deep full breath is not something you do it is something you allow. When you feel your breath becoming hard or irregular, see if you may be trying too hard or imposing from the brain. Let the rhythmic wave like motion of the breath become a focal point. It will guide you into the moment and help you feel more deeply into you body.

Direct your attention inward and listen to the messages your body is communicating. In time you will learn to hear and trust these messages with increasing clarity and conviction. The ability to respond with greater awareness and sensitivity comes greater choice. With continued practice of yoga our responses to life's challenges become increasingly more intelligent and creative.

NO part of your body exists in isolation or separation from any other part. Pain or dysfunction in any part is simply a reflection of imbalance throughout the whole. Therefore it is a mistake to work with the body/mind in a fragmented manner or to focus your efforts exclusively "WHERE IT HURTS". My experience has shown that this often serves to create a deeper imbalance. The aim of Yoga is to reestablish the condition of wholeness and integration in body, mind and spirit. Practice with this understanding right from the start. In time you will begin to discover and directly experience the interconnectedness of each and every part of the body/mind. Yoga is a gradual process of growth and transformation. Patience and consistency in your practice and regular attendance in class with help assure positive change.