This week’s class theme was about Purity or Saucha. Each week our instructor has been providing us with a theme or a word related to the Yama and the Niyamas. These are ethical codes that make up the first two limbs of the eight limbed path of yoga. All of the paths work together to help us enter a state of yoga or union with the mind, body and spirit.
The Yamas Include:
The other six limbs include the postures, breathing exercises, going inward, concentration, meditation and enlightenment. Margie recommends this great book about The Yamas and the Niyamas.
Last week we talked about letting go of things that weigh us down or not worrying about things from the past or coming up in the future. Today we talked about purity and how to rely on our breathing to help us relax. She taught us to focus on diaphragmatic breathing so when we encounter a stressful situation we can stop holding our breath and scrunching up our shoulders and focus on our breathing. No one needs to know that we are doing it either.
In yoga, the breath is described as the essential, life-giving flywheel of the nervous system. What does that mean? Your nose cleans and warms the air before it enters your body. It enters and exits your body to sustain your life. Breathing through your nose helps you reduce the speed and efficiency of breathing. Smell is also a major element when it comes to breathing. When you breathe through your nose, you smell the odors and it improves the sense of taste.
Surprisingly, breathing stabilizes our emotions and nerves. Have you ever noticed that when you are stressed you are breathing shallow from your chest? If you feel uptight, take 3 deep breaths to lower your heart rate. If you can’t fall asleep, focus on taking deep breaths into your abdomen.
So to sum up the definition of Saucha, it is the practice of knowing very well what is our objective in this particular moment in life.
We did some warrior poses in tonight’s class, the chair pose, the bridge and several twisting poses. She told us that twisting is a great form of detoxifying our body. I like that feeling of stretching out and opening things up during a twist. It pushes me beyond my limit is such a gentle subtle way where there is no harm.
At the end of class we participate in Savasana and today Margie played Liquid Mind music which immediately brought me to when I was in labor with Kevin for 3 days. I played that music in the hospital and it was very peaceful. I felt like I went back in time almost 9 years! It was very strange, emotional, yet relaxing at the same time. I felt emotional because I couldn’t believe that it was already 9 years ago that he was born. Time is going by so quickly; but I didn’t think about things that we haven’t done yet or had any guilt. I just realized the time and let that thought float by. A couple tears were shed because I miss the baby years and that music has a very strong connection with me and my babies when they were younger. Sometimes the older years are hard; but the newborn days weren’t the easiest either! Being a mother, parent, wife, employee, daughter, person isn’t easy. As I learned tonight, the objective is to be aware of where you are in this moment in life.
This year I have been focusing on mindfulness, wellness and finding joy. I think the yoga has been a very helpful tool with mindfulness. My essential oils are also helping me find balance and wellness.
I can’t wait to find out what we will learn about in week 5! Sadly, the instructor will be on vacation next week so I may need to resort to a youTube version of a yoga class next week to keep me grounded!