My birthday was just a few days away, and I'm about to celebrate turning 51! It's a bit bittersweet this year since I'm dealing with a knee injury, which has been frustrating. It's made me really reflect on my relationship with my body and what getting older means to me. Life is definitely a journey.
Our body is truly our home in this world! It keeps us grounded and allows us to experience everything around us. Each breath we take, every step we make, and all the little sensations we feel connect us to our lives and surroundings. But isn't that interesting? Sometimes, our senses—the amazing tools we depend on—can be a little unpredictable!
Have you ever thought about how our senses work? Our eyes see only a small part of what's out there, our ears can pick up sounds within a limited range, and our skin can only sense what's right on the surface. Even our thoughts and feelings are influenced by our biases, past experiences, and moods, which can change in an instant.
In yoga, we really explore this idea. When we step onto our mats, we start to pay close attention to our bodies and how they feel. We notice the stretch in our hamstrings, the flow of our breath, and the rhythm of our heartbeats—each moment invites us to be fully present and trust our sensations. At the same time, as we practice more, we discover that it's important not to take everything we feel at face value.
The Illusions of the Senses
A common teaching in yoga philosophy is maya—the idea that much of what we perceive is illusion. The discomfort of holding a pose too long might feel unbearable at first, but with focused breath and awareness, we discover it is transient. The joy of mastering a challenging asana feels euphoric, but it, too, fades. Our senses offer glimpses of reality, but they are fleeting and often distorted by the filters of the mind.
Yoga doesn't ask us to distrust the body but rather to observe it with curiosity and detachment. The practice becomes a dance of embracing the physical experience while understanding that it is not the full story.
Isn't it fascinating? Sometimes, our senses can play tricks on us, but it's through our bodies that we have the chance to explore what might be beyond those limits. I see yoga not just as a way to get more flexible or build strength; it's such a great tool for boosting our self-awareness and discovering what really matters to us. I have this unique body at this moment alongside these wonderful people. My challenge is to embrace my body as it is at any moment with kindness and patience rather than pushing it away and wishing for it to be different.
Through my yoga practice, I'm working on building a trusting relationship with my body—not a blind trust, but one that's thoughtful and attentive. I'm learning to tune in to my body's gentle signals before they turn into louder cries for attention. I really want to honour its wisdom and celebrate the incredible gift that it is. When I hold this intention close to my heart, I can sense the universe speaking to me, see all the possibilities even in tricky situations, feel a sense of internal hope, and catch a whiff of a deeper truth that goes beyond the contradictions we face.
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