Let’s face it. The world is truly all about you. That’s a double meaning of course. The world is certainly everywhere that you are and the world is truly all about you; and how you relate to it. Our yoga practice is the perfect opportunity to see your world as a stage. As soon as you sit and prepare yourself for a yoga practice your eyes close (hear “and the theatre darkens”) and suddenly there you are taking up center stage. The question as a yogi (read ‘director’) is who ‘s up first? Is the nagging sensation in your lower back the star today? How about the residual emotions of impatience, anger, happiness or doubt? Maybe it’s good old gratitude nudging aside all else trying to remind you that he/she is not just a bit player in your drama. Whoever starts your show sets the tone, but by no means has full authority to dominate. In fact, the fun and challenge of the theatre is the multiple acts of jugglers, musicians and rowdy fans (read ‘mat mates’) that make up your world.
The whole intent of your yoga practice is to show up and see who is taking up most of the spot light, who needs to move to the back of the stage and ultimately who is actually directing the play. Of course the answer is you, you, and You. Aren’t you amazing?
You write the script. You direct. You star. You critique, you create the applause and you run the credits. For a practice that’s supposed to be serene there sure seems to be a lot going on! Breathing, moving, adjusting, filling out one form and then another is all opportunity to shift the scenery, move the players and continue the unfolding drama (and I mean that in a good way) of your life as a human being.
Busy and in motion we attempt to continually find the balance, the center point where we can see all our players and move them into their appropriate spots. That doesn’t mean we don’t sometimes get waylaid by less than stellar performances out of our own peeps. Nope. Not at all. Who hasn’t come across their own baby brat throwing a hissy fit front and center when something frustrates the hell out of them? Or how about when the sparks fly as your snarky self shows up to obfuscate or highlight insecurities? Of course we all sometimes coax out a spectacular performance from our own over achiever. For her, trying harder even though it’s not helping is better than not trying. Of course we also meet our prima donna for whom nothing is perfect. She is truly a piece of work, yet she does drive the show onto bigger and better heights sometimes as long as it goes her way. Then of course, if you are lucky a big name player steps in with beatific smiles, glad handing all around pleased with progress no matter how small. Maybe if you gave her a steady contract she’d become a regular…
There sure is a lot going on in Triangle pose these days. Seems no matter how many times you practice a pose something new comes up. Your cast of characters is long, the dialogue endless and the opportunity to learn more about yourself and how you relate to the changing landscape is always present.
Who will you give your Oscar to this year? Your steady, determined self who showed up day in and day out? (I think they get nominated every year, but never get the nod. Perhaps we’ll call her “Meryl Streep”). Maybe it was your more silent star, the one who kept gently pulling you back into a positive space no matter how difficult the challenge was. And then again, maybe your baby brat scenes were so epically ridiculous you hand over the Oscar to her for the sheer entertainment value. (Though be careful who you reward!)
On the mat this week, bring up the house lights and take stock of your cast of characters. Who do you want to see more or less of in your next show? Champion your biggest stars and keep your own dramas enlightening, entertaining and evolving.
Maybe next time I practice I’ll bring a side of popcorn and Junior Mints to remind myself that ultimately the show must go on and I’m depending on the entire cast to see me through and see through me.
