Yoga is, at its very core, a process of Undoing.
Practice after practice we begin to remove layers of cultural, collective and self-limiting beliefs, past experiences, conditionings, bias and interpretations. It’s a never-ending process because we constantly evolve in parallel with our life. It’s the process of letting go who we think we are to discover what is underneath those layers built upon years.
The more we breathe, move, sweat and journal on the mat, the more we can start to see ourselves beyond the conversations we had with our boss, the mistakes we think we made, the end of a relationship or an idea of failure or success. It means going very close to that part of ourselves that is eternal and infinite.
I believe this is Why our Yoga Practice never gets boring: every day we are facing a different aspect of ourselves, a different colour and layer. Every time we step on the mat, we have the privilege to meet ourselves, untangle some old knots and release well-known tensions.
The process of Undoing lasts for our entire life, if we want to. It’s a macro, infinite and committed path; a path that the human beings have always travelled, trying to answer big questions like: who am I? What am I doing here? What’s the purpose of my life?And what happens on a macro level, happens also on a micro level.
Getting Ready to practice, begin to undo
Anytime I step on my mat at the beginning of a class, retreat, course or teacher training, I know that, that exact moment is a very intimate and precious one.
Every time I have a clear imagine of me entering in a quiet, intimate and sacred space. A place where I can literally start taking off the clothes of my days, my backpack full of previous conversations, stress, limiting beliefs, thoughts and emotions. It’s at the same time a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual place. Sometimes the feeling of unpacking is immediate, sometimes it can take days until I feel again lighter and grounded.
Your Yoga Practice begins not when you step in the Yoga room or on your mat: it begins way earlier, when you start to get ready (synchronizing your heart and mind), when you greet your Yogi friends in the room, take the shoes off and enjoy the quietness and joy of that space.
Your Yoga Practice begins not when you turn on Zoom, but when you change from your working clothes to comfy ones, roll your mat in your sacred space, light up a candle and ask persons living with you not to disturb you for one hour.
In that specific moment, we begin the process of Undoing, as we create the conditions to enter in a deep and intimate conversation with ourselves.
It’s the beginning of the Ritual of meeting yourself.
The Process of Undoing is essential to reset & refresh our system
When we slowly start to let go what we don’t need to carry anymore from our work, families and relationships, we not only release tensions, backpack of emotions and heaviness, but we also start to create space.Space to see what is underneath those layers, and to plant new seeds, let them flourish and become a beautiful and green Corpo Giardino (A Body made of Garden). The process of deconstructing in order to reconstruct.
If you think about our nervous system, we need to release tensions, stress and limiting beliefs, if we want to nourish ourselves, work on our mindset and create and sustain balance in the long term. In few words, we can’t expect to take care of ourselves when our jar is saturated and full: we need to make space with the process of Undoing, before filling it up again with Nourishment, Self-care and Love.
As we saw before, the first opportunity we have to begin this process is inside the creation of our own sacred space, the physical space where we normally practice at home, or our favourite Studio.
Tips to create your own Sacred Space
The creation of the physical or virtual Yoga room is an essential part of any classes, courses, retreats inside Corpo Giardino – Yoga Practices. Today I want to share with you a couple of tips I share with my students or practice myself in order to create the conditions for Yoga to happen.
(And yes, these conditions are also influenced by who I am and maybe they will resonate with you or maybe not; that’s the magic of a personal practice, find your way for Yoga to happen).
At home or with virtual classes:
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- Make sure your Sacred Space is cleaned and tied up. It will help you to have more focus and clarity in your mind. The outside is at the end, a representation of the inside.
- Dim the lights creating a relaxing atmosphere; it’s like telling your nervous system that it’s safe to relax.
- Enter in that space in silence, turn off the phone and if you like turn on music you feel connected to.
- Ask the persons that are living with you to respect your own time and space for the length of the class.
- Use incense, candle, essential oils following your personal taste and preferences.
Enjoy!
When you go and practice inside a Yoga Studio the situation is quite different because the creation of the sacred space is not in your hands. But please remember that you can always share feedback with the teacher about:
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- The cleanness of the Yoga Room, specific smells (including also of course incense and candles).
- The lack of silence of quietness in the room (so many times as Teacher, I had to ask students to turn off their phone, make phone calls outside or simply talk with a soft tone of voice).
- Anything that you don’t consider safe, appropriate and respectful.
Enjoy your unique path of Undoing, embrace it with your full open heart. Begin slow and today, with the creation of your own sacred space.
Ram Dass says it very clear:
Sit Around the Fire – Jon Hopkins, Ram Dass, East Forest
https://open.spotify.com/album/6yr4d6TDbPpsUklbsLUz6x?si=mMGeFQbDR8qt9_fCnMfk7w&dl_branch=1
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“Without realizing it, we carry many heavy burdens from our family line, life experiences, and the pressures of living in this current time. These experiences imprint deeply on our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies. The practices of yoga can help us both see these burdens and begin to release them.” Janet Stone
Did you check already the Program of the Upcoming Online Yoga Retreat? Early Bird expires on September the 25th, 2021!Click the imagine below :)
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I recently connected with Caroline Holmes from Yoga At Home Facebook Group and we had a nice chat together about Yoga and the Sacred Space. Click the button below to watch the Full Interview!
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