Namaste dear souls,
It is strange how life works out..
I wrote the following article a week before Coronavirus!
Most of us certainly have “time to stand and stare “ now! Albeit not quite what was intended…
I JUST NEED SOME SPACE!
Everyone in the class turned around as the door suddenly banged shut and a flushed-looking student arrived late to her class.
“I am so sorry I am late” she muttered with her head hung low, “I just had to come …I just needed some space!”
She hurriedly rolled out her yoga mat, turned quickly and tripped over her bag, landing on another student!
“Oh my…I am soooo sorry” she said apologetically.
“I’m fine,” he said, “don’t worry.” They smiled at each other and she sat down on her mat.
“Ok,” said the teacher, “let us all relax and bring ourselves into the present. Be aware of your body; how it feels and the space it occupies. Gently lengthen your spine and unfurl like a flower opening to the sun…feel the air on your skin. Now, become aware of your breathing and slowly breathe in a little deeper and out for a little longer…feel the difference of the temperature between the inhalation and the exhalation.”
The late student started to relax and let go of the tension she so clearly had when she arrived. The teacher smiled at the late student and continued to give a talk to the whole class.
“Yes, you do NEED some space…we all do. Space is not a luxury, it is a necessity for the wellbeing of the body and mind! What do we mean when we say to others or ourselves …I need some space?” she asked the class who responded with such answers as…
I need a break
I want a holiday
I need you to go away!
I need time out…need a rest
I want to just stop!…I need peace
One of the class even began to quote a famous poem by William Davies “What is life if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare…”
“Thank you,” said the teacher “…the standing and staring is bringing us into the now…the moment…a state of Being , and Yoga is the art of Being!
We can look at space in a number of different levels.
The body needs space in order to function effectively…stress creates tension tightness and contraction. Asana creates space in the body.
Space in the body allows us to breathe better, more efficiently, our breathing can relax and energise the body; we breathe out well and create the space for the incoming breath.
As we focus on our breath (Pranayama) we open up a space between our emotions and ourselves. We then create an inner space for our senses to retire too …away from the constant barrage of outer stimulus! (Pratyhara). This state now allows us to focus and concentrate (Dharana) and leads us through to a state of meditation (Dhyana ) a space between thoughts! Peace and joy.
The space we really need is inside our head!”
Currently we are told to self isolate, and to socially distance ourselves from each other. Interestingly, that is what the techno generation has been doing for some time. When out and about they plug in their headphones or constantly talk on their mobile with no awareness of others around them, no smiles or good morning from strangers on the journey and no nod of recognition that another exists! They live in their techno bubble communicating only with other know techno bubbles! Huh…
Now we are all using technology to temporarily connect, entertain and support each other not just in a personal bubble but a global one. Let us hope that once we can get back out there we truly appreciate acknowledging each other, smile and even talk to strangers and hug hug hug… and kiss our loved ones… not with icons on a text but with the wonderful quality of real connection.
Love and light
Please feel free to call me if you are struggling.
Sonia x