On this full moon and international day of celebrating Women, I wish to riff a little about my current of thoughts on the feminine and embodiment. First the metaphorical, then the metaphysical regarding how I offer my yoga teaching prac.
A woman is a pearl, a literal reflection of the cyclical fluctuations of the moon. Distinct from the daily reliable and consistently penetrating nature of the sun; the moon, she waxes only to wane and begins it all again. Every month shedding the culmination of 29 days of love, joy and pain. She’s a miracle and incredibly resilient by the nature that lives within her body. Or at least she can be. First is to know.
The feminine aspect of nature, is Shakti, mother, she’s earth and the incredible capacity we all inherently have, to conjure miraculous loving change.
This is not a conversation neither perspective, of gender.
There’s a lot of misguided masculine in our collective global space, unconsciously embodied, and yet we’re at a time of trembling change. The misrepresentation of what is fed to us as ‘safe’ conversely, spews fear into our global space; sending good men and women everywhere into a perpetually confused state. What is real and how can we shift into a sense of consistent trust and faith ?
Finding felt truth, within the Yoga space
After nearly two decades of teaching yoga, of acquiring black belts in the martial arts and studying various ancient aspects of philosophy, I’ve come to experientially see that break and entering either the psyche Or the body is highly unnecessary.
In a world that overstimulates our mentally whilst neglecting the wisdom of the body, Yoga practices that hold space for the sacred feminine aspect of our beings - to soften, honour individuality, pay attention respectfully - may be the most potent medicine our community collectively needs.
“A good leader understands the importance of an individuals self-esteem, and will never try to take that away from you.”
Regardless of your preferential Yoga space flavour; True power lays within the consistent showing up to participate in the wait, the penetrating gaze of attention that rests on the edge of each breath can only ever truly enter completely, when the feminine within relaxes into a surrendered state.
Science shows us that healing happens when we access long calm releasing breaths. This is an indication for the potential of embodiment and the starting place to explore physical posturing that may ultimately nourish, support and protect.
Sans embodiment (which is entirely possible to achieve even in the most popular Yoga class) we perpetuate the probability of injury – which can be relevant for the personal journey of many – myself included – yet can be very discouraging for the majority.
Pushing is therefore unsustainable; it’s the very opposite of an embodied dance of harmoniously experienced internal masculine and feminine polarity.
A moment to Segway -
The very nature of the originally intended movement based Yoga, was to warm the body, thin the blood, oxygenate the organs and reduce inflammation; it was a therapeutic wellspring of opportunity adapted to the individual temperament of the student and the mind was appeased as a by-product of the practice. Asana was geared for total psychosomatic ease and the foundation for deeper explorations into adventures towards the nature of reality.
“ Sthira Sukham Asanam...
Asana is steadiness and comfort ”
Tragically, injury is rampant within our yoga community. Practice is sporadic; often-times an escape, fuelled by aesthetic dependency and students potentially miss out upon the true psychosomatic healing possibility.
A dollar for every busted shoulder I’ve seen, born from a desire to penetrate what is not receptively warm, ripe and ready - would otherwise have made me wealthy.
Bereft of the consistency and patience it takes to open one’s storybook of the physical - into the majesty of its pure simple legacy; receptivity... the student of good intentions foregoes the golden ticket to all that they seek; to circulate the breath, freely... To feel well and at peace.
Breath is life. Life is love.
One of the greatest joys for me, in holding a Yoga session space is to witness the change in breath pace, to notice when the nervous system of the room co-regulates.
We’ve begun at a suitable pace & everybody feels warm and safe. It’s within this space that healing has a chance to take place and the practice becomes personal to the individual.
The peak of each inhalation is pulled down to the base; each exhalation becomes exalted grace - a deep dive into the parasympathetic, revealing the Truth of what is at stake.
Dare I say it, my approach is a direct nod to the dance we all long for, an internal romance that transcends gender and brings us back to the heart of what it is we truly desire - to know ourselves as strong, as supple, as divine. For indeed this is the truth of who we are and this realisation is available to all.
Personally
I’ve had many aches and pains on all levels of being. Traumas that have bought me great learning, that heal and continue to be.
As poetic as my words here may sound, the sentiment is derived from an extremely diverse and solid ground.
This is my offering for real world healing. For the student of life who loves to stay childlike, whilst maturing naturally.
Lead photos Bern Switzerland;
photographer credit - Nicolas Ipina
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Amber xoxo