Like Water for Yoga

It was a cold, rainy day today, I hadn’t slept much the night before and I was in a particularly negative head space. So when my friend suggested a gentle yoga class with one of my favorite teachers, it seemed just the thing. There is something about sharing yoga space with people I care about that nourishes me like seldom else.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not usually into gentle yoga. But today, I came to truly appreciate it. Tonight’s practice was water. Not like forceful like ocean waves or languid like a lake. But like a brook, water running over stones smoothed over time. 

I brought my focus to the beauty of yoga. The gracefulness of postures. As we moved in and out of our asanas, I sought creativity and expression. Suddenly, I was a dancer, moving to the music of my spirit. And in dancing, I became in tune with my body in a different way. Rather than exerting myself both mentally and physically into the options given to us, they came to me fluidly, without forethought. Rather than critique and correct my form, I allowed my body to do what it felt was right. What movement it would enjoy. What was authentic in that moment. 

By the end of the 90 minutes, I lay replete and cleansed in Savasana. My negative head space had transformed into a full-body feeling of gratitude.  The true beauty of yoga.