As many of you know, I've spent the past few days enjoying a yoga conference sponsored by the Yoga Journal, in Colorado. I'm a commuter, driving about an hour each way - a beautiful, easy mountain drive on normal days.
Today, a combination of road construction, and every darn person in the state trying to get up in the mountains to view the fall colors, put me in a traffic jam so long I missed the class I wanted to get to. I eventually had to give up and go home.
Let me tell you, I was not happy about missing my day at the conference, not happy at all. Well, after a time entertaining very dark thoughts about the road construction people, the county for not foreseeing the traffic problems, and myself for not leaving the house even earlier I decided to relax and give some thought to what the themes of the conference might be for me so far.
I thought about some of the movement themes I mentioned in blog day 1, and there are more of those to discuss as time goes by; but another theme, very appropriate to my circumstance bubbled up too. And that was: considering what we do with the good energy we cultivate on the mat, when we are off the mat (or equipment as the Pilates case may be). This theme has come up in every class I've been to.
Pilates and yoga are both meant to be life enhancing practices that help integrate body, mind, and spirit. Joseph Pilates was very clear on this point, and of course, to unite, is the definition of yoga.
We go to a class. We follow a DVD. We work out on our own. And then what? Our breath has been moving big time, we're enlivened, our awareness is expanded - hopefully we feel great. How do we keep that energy as we move into our daily life? For me, a big part of it is remembering, and a big part is giving myself permission. Can I be this alive in my regular life? Is it OK to walk around shining and vibrant? Of course it is, but subtly sometimes, it's easy to fall into the status quo (our own or others) when we leave the studio or mat context of our practice.
We do Pilates or yoga because of the many benefits we see in our lives because of those practices, but how much more could we enjoy, and benefit the world, if we added the full intention to carry our awareness and positive energy out the door of the studio with us? This is very much about transitions isn't it? Just as in yoga or Pilates, the transitions between poses or exercises are very important, going from workout to daily life is a transition we can maintain awareness through as well.
That's enough philosophizing for one night. Guess who's got to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow?
What do you think about how Pilates or yoga fuel your experience of daily life - beyond the physical benefits? Feel free to comment.
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