Practicing yoga postures has been a real blessing for me when it comes to bringing in space, making room for a less reactive emotional way to live life. It is a life that is much more free from the roller coaster of anger and sorrow, hurt and regret. For me, it requires me to stay alert to the thoughts and feelings that are arising within me moment to moment. As I see them arise, I let them go much like allowing the clouds to pass by in the sky. It is the nature of clouds to do so, and the emotions we experience are much like those clouds, desiring to move through the medium by which they travel. I have heard it explained as e-motion, energy in motion. We can not stop the clouds passing through the sky, and emotion is much the same passing through us. But when we have a desire that arises, when we decide to try to hold onto that emotion, like pride, anger, or any other, from my experience, suffering occurs, because, it is much like fighting nature. Fighting a storm is not possible, the most I can do is weather the storm. In this way I feel much more positive about situations that might not seem that favorable at first, and I can let go of those expectations of what should be and should not, finding satisfaction with the state of being, the state of how things are. Letting go can also be taken in a much more practical way as well, which yoga postures, in particular, twists and folds, aid us in. This form of letting go is in having a healthy digestive system, aiding your body in letting go of waste that does not serve us in growing in new and healthy ways. In these ways, letting go is healthy in both an emotional and physical way, so I offer this pose, Easy Seated Twist, to you as a way to let go, and revealing a happier, healthy version of yourself.
- To perform Easy Seated Twist, first remember to be kind to yourself and kind to your body, only moving into this position in a way that feels beneficial. Ease up or stop completely if you feel any bad pain. By bad pain, I mean the kind that feels sharp and jolting, rather than the more expansive type that encourages growth and self development. The healthier pain is not exactly pleasant, but more gradual, and brings with it a sense of ease and accomplishment, knowing that your body is awakening to a form that it wants to move into, but has not quite yet become fully flexible in.
- Finding yourself in a seated position with your legs straight before you.
- Bend the left leg, and bring the left soul into the right inner thigh groin area.
- Take a breath in, raise the arms to frame the head.
- Exhale and twist to the left side, bringing the arms down, right hand on the left knee, and left arm straight behind you to the ground.
- Looking behind yourself over your left shoulder, I encourage you to reflect on letting go, in particular to what has already happened, what has been said and done. You might even wish to say an affirmation, as these statements can often help us to focus our minds and intention in a specific direction. The affirmation that I offer you: “I leave the past behind me. I leave the past behind me. I leave the past behind me...” Hold the position, and say the affirmation as many times as you would wish to do so.
- When you are ready to switch sides do so, untwisting, straightening the left leg, bending the right, and twisting to the right, reflecting again on letting the past go, or simply enjoying the pose as you would.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today! I hope that Easy Seated Twist has help you bring a sense of ease and the freedom of letting go into your life. My hope and prayer is that you are able to carry these feelings of health and happiness onward into the rest of your life in various shapes and forms! Blessings, Peace, and Love to you, my friend! Aaron :-)