Taking it Off the Mat
I love yoga. I have loved it truly, madly, and deeply for the last six years. It saw me through an incredibly difficult time and healed those corresponding physical, mental and emotional wounds. I have learned to take yoga off the mat and into my life through things like ujjayi breathing to keep me calm and open (feel free to revisit The Gift of the Ujjayi) and feeling my feet to keep me present and grounded. I have recently found another powerful strategy to take off the mat ....Savasana.
Savasana, also known as corpse pose, is exactly what it sounds like. It is the very last pose in class in which you lie flat on your back legs as wide as the mat, arms at your sides palms up and eyes closed. Yes, it's relaxing and a very welcome respite at the end of class but it is an equally important, if not THE most important, pose. It assimilates the benefits of all the hard work you just put in.....basically it's a time for your body to download all the new information you just gave it.
No, I have not taken to laying on the floor when I get too overwhelmed and check out. Because that's the other piece of savasana, while your eyes are closed it is not nap time. It is still an active pose. The goal is to be completely conscious and completely relaxed.
If you follow this blog, then you would know that as of August I returned to school to finish my bachelor's. I researched and applied to several schools and in the end all signs led me to a Bachelor of Science instead of Arts. Again, if you follow this blog or even The Rover or you have spent any amount of time with me then you are probably scratching your head because I lean heavily toward the artsy fartsy end of the spectrum. The first month of this program has me scratching my own head... or more truthfully, massaging the left side of my brain to activate the science-y switch. Yep, I totally just used the word science-y. Many aspects of these classes have been a struggle because my brain does not normally think in a scientific capacity. I have never spent my free time taking things apart to see how they work, daydreaming about theories and/or designing experiments. I would be much better suited to write a poem or an opinion piece or choreograph an interpretative dance about the possible correlation of psychological behaviors than to construct hypotheses and manipulate variables.
And yet, slowly but surely I am seeing that being forced to rely on those logical and science-y brain muscles IS strengthening them. And so far, I am proud to admit that I am doing quite well in my classes. In addition to my concern of being able to hack this endeavor, I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to make it fit in with my full time job, another side job I'm trying to get off the ground (Thirty-One anyone?), etc. And yet, I have been able to carve out a workable groove. I will admit that I am tired though, especially since 3/4 of my weekend is spent studying and getting ahead for the week's assignments. I got half the day to put the books aside and just be with my Sunday. I went to the gym, went to my favorite yerba mate 'coffee' shop downtown, and strolled barefoot through my favorite park (earthing), and stayed up late to write this blog.
So here it is.... the five hours I spent today doing 'nothing' was my Savasana. Although it wasn't nothing. Because just like during a yoga class I was not checked out. I was fully conscious and completely relaxed. It helped my brain recover from all the heavy lifting it did from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. It helped me assimilate all the new knowledge I crammed into my brain (at least hopefully, I'll let you know after my next test.) It inspired me to write this post. It helped me prepare for my week ahead - the continued intellectual CrossFit and plate spinning.
I am fully aware that this is not a novel concept. We hear all the time that we need to take time for ourselves. But A) I don't think most people recognize how crucial it really is especially when they are transitioning / incorporating new elements into their lives and 2) I believe that too many people do the checking out thing. The power comes from being 100% present and 100% relaxed. Also, here is what it is NOT...it is not an excuse to put off doing the things you need to get done. Do not make Savasana your procrastinating scapegoat. Use it as it was intended - to unify and incorporate the practice of hard work and dedication.
Savasana, also known as corpse pose, is exactly what it sounds like. It is the very last pose in class in which you lie flat on your back legs as wide as the mat, arms at your sides palms up and eyes closed. Yes, it's relaxing and a very welcome respite at the end of class but it is an equally important, if not THE most important, pose. It assimilates the benefits of all the hard work you just put in.....basically it's a time for your body to download all the new information you just gave it.
No, I have not taken to laying on the floor when I get too overwhelmed and check out. Because that's the other piece of savasana, while your eyes are closed it is not nap time. It is still an active pose. The goal is to be completely conscious and completely relaxed.
If you follow this blog, then you would know that as of August I returned to school to finish my bachelor's. I researched and applied to several schools and in the end all signs led me to a Bachelor of Science instead of Arts. Again, if you follow this blog or even The Rover or you have spent any amount of time with me then you are probably scratching your head because I lean heavily toward the artsy fartsy end of the spectrum. The first month of this program has me scratching my own head... or more truthfully, massaging the left side of my brain to activate the science-y switch. Yep, I totally just used the word science-y. Many aspects of these classes have been a struggle because my brain does not normally think in a scientific capacity. I have never spent my free time taking things apart to see how they work, daydreaming about theories and/or designing experiments. I would be much better suited to write a poem or an opinion piece or choreograph an interpretative dance about the possible correlation of psychological behaviors than to construct hypotheses and manipulate variables.
And yet, slowly but surely I am seeing that being forced to rely on those logical and science-y brain muscles IS strengthening them. And so far, I am proud to admit that I am doing quite well in my classes. In addition to my concern of being able to hack this endeavor, I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to make it fit in with my full time job, another side job I'm trying to get off the ground (Thirty-One anyone?), etc. And yet, I have been able to carve out a workable groove. I will admit that I am tired though, especially since 3/4 of my weekend is spent studying and getting ahead for the week's assignments. I got half the day to put the books aside and just be with my Sunday. I went to the gym, went to my favorite yerba mate 'coffee' shop downtown, and strolled barefoot through my favorite park (earthing), and stayed up late to write this blog.
So here it is.... the five hours I spent today doing 'nothing' was my Savasana. Although it wasn't nothing. Because just like during a yoga class I was not checked out. I was fully conscious and completely relaxed. It helped my brain recover from all the heavy lifting it did from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. It helped me assimilate all the new knowledge I crammed into my brain (at least hopefully, I'll let you know after my next test.) It inspired me to write this post. It helped me prepare for my week ahead - the continued intellectual CrossFit and plate spinning.
I am fully aware that this is not a novel concept. We hear all the time that we need to take time for ourselves. But A) I don't think most people recognize how crucial it really is especially when they are transitioning / incorporating new elements into their lives and 2) I believe that too many people do the checking out thing. The power comes from being 100% present and 100% relaxed. Also, here is what it is NOT...it is not an excuse to put off doing the things you need to get done. Do not make Savasana your procrastinating scapegoat. Use it as it was intended - to unify and incorporate the practice of hard work and dedication.
On that note, Namaste Mofos ;-)
"Always be yourself, unless you can be a unicorn - then ALWAYS be a unicorn."
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