School’s back, and next week our classes start again, Summer holidays are receding into memories of beaches, BBQs, bachs, books, road trips – and all the activities that help us to rest and regenerate for the coming year. At least that’s the plan!
On top of summer relaxing and fun, the new year often makes us think about all the things we would like to achieve or do differently for this coming cycle of the seasons.
Hanging out on the West Coast, summer 2019
Santosha – contentment
In my yoga I focus on contentment – being happy where you are, accepting your body’s capabilities and coming back to the breath and the gift of the present moment, which IS the heart of the practice. I have really emphasised this over the years, because it is so counter to our culture of achievement, striving and competitiveness. So that makes it challenging, but the shift in how we do yoga is worth the effort, because it is a valuable tool for our healing and stress management.
So I have been thinking about how to embrace that positive new year energy, without tipping over into goal-driven behaviour, stress inducing behaviour and remaining contented.
Yoga is all about finding balance, as we know. While one of the niyamas (guides for living well) is santosha (contentment), we wouldn’t want to be so relaxed and content that we just lie on the mat and don’t bother doing anything! Or to not have any intentions for the coming year.
A yogic NYE
I was at Anahata Yoga Retreat in Golden Bay on NYE and that was an experience! We did some asana practice and a yoga nidra, then shared a delicious vegetarian dinner, then eased into five hours of kirtan (chanting various mantras together), followed by a havan (fire ceremony). The havan was a special NYE one and instead of the 108 rounds of the Gayatri mantra, which I have experienced before, we did 1008 rounds of the much shorter Om Sva Ha.
So all of that did take some effort, but there were good reasons for all of it.
For example, with each round you can offer the fire anything you want to let go of, anything that doesn’t serve you anymore. So it is a process of letting go as much as looking forward, but we have to make room for the new, right?
There was no countdown to midnight, no toasts, no hugs even, and no hangover the next day! So that was a very yogic NYE and it struck me that we can still observe occasions and have intentions even if we are content – we just want to come from a place of contentment, meaning we are not caught up in the outcomes of our intentions and actions because we know that happiness comes from within regardless of external circumstances.
See, it’s a fine line!
Tapas – enthusiasm
There’s another niyama called tapas, which translates as ‘burning enthusiasm’. It’s the fire we bring to our practice, the energy that moves us towards greater awareness.
Sometimes we need to rest and sometimes the body is not able to go into a particular asana, and we never (ever!) push the body where it doesn’t want to go. We listen to the needs of the body always.
However, I have observed in my own practice that what seems to the needs of the body may actually be the mind resisting the practice. The body loves to be challenged! This is how we increase physical strength and flexibility and even release, so we have to make sure the mind is not holding us back, saying ‘that’s enough’ because of its own fear of challenge, while pretending to be the advocate of the body.
Tapas can then bring a little fire to our practice. We might stay for one more breath, or extend with the breath a little further, or do one more round. With our new year energy and the lively long days of summer, it’s the perfect time of year to play with this.
Keeping your practice fresh
How we do this is very important. It is absolutely essential! If we flip over into setting goals and pushing ourselves we are no longer doing yoga. At that point we can just got to the gym! To stay in yoga, we need to be super aware, and of course breathe. The breath is always the guide. If it becomes short or laboured, then we probably need to ease off.
We also don’t want to get stuck in our ways. We can attempt something new with curiosity and let go of the outcome. Just put your effort in, ignite your tapas, your enthusiasm for yoga and for life, and if it goes to custard you can just laugh! There is nowhere to ‘get to’ so you can play with the energy that animates you, which is life itself. Sounds juicy eh?!
Also, things change all the time. Some days we will have more energy than others, so if 10 breaths in plank pose seems joyful one day, don’t assume it will be the same the next week!
See you on the mat!
This is my approach for term 1 so it’s gonna be fun and invigorating, but also relaxing and nourishing as always. As well as understanding the terms and ideas it is essential to play with them on the mat and experience your own responses. Such an adventure!
Happy New Year! I hope you have a really wonderful and fulfilling 2019.
With love,
Breeze
Breathe Aotearoa 