Walls and Gates by Marie Lossky
(@Marie.Lossky on Instagram)
Some of us are luckier than others, and I say this in the context of having a practice, not just in the genes we inherited. Practice set with intentions to be kinder and more accepting, clear and present, curious and non-judgmental can literally change our hearts and minds. One moment at a time. Even one Downward-Facing Dog at a time if that's the manifestation of our practice. Our intentions create an atmosphere that either will help us work with aging and all it entails, or not.
Therefore, if we are practicing asanas and we’re not paying much attention, we can be injured and, in a more insidious but just as harmful way, be criticizing ourselves as we are doing them. If we aren’t curious as we practice, things gets rote and dry and we don’t listen to what the body is trying to say. This is where being mindful and kind is really important. What we repeat over and over is what we become, and this goes with thoughts and feelings— both the noticed and most often the unnoticed—that we may harbor.
But if our intentions are realized, such as to be kind, clear ,and not judgmental, this is what we will eventually become. We will embody our intentions over time. A positive attitude can be cultivated and there’s research that shows that if we believe what we are doing is helpful, it will be; if we doubt it, it won’t be as helpful.
If we let aging be an obstacle to practice, it will be, but of course it need not be. If we can be easier on ourselves for instance when energy is low—say, practice restoratives on those days—we aren’t letting not having as much energy be a problem. It’s not an obstacle, just a time to respond kindly and listen from the wisdom seat of the heart. Or, when we need to do one extra Plank pose because we can’t lift as much as we used to, rather than dislike our age and the normal changes that it brings, we can just do one more—garner more strength, resist the resistance!
The only obstacle to anything is our own thinking around it. So as we practice aging—because after all it is an experiment that we haven’t yet tried before—let us not get bogged in the mire of what we cannot do. We can be positive, at least most of the time. We can be kind, we can be more present and clear, we can be inspired, we can help others, we can enjoy what we have and be grateful for what we don’t have. We can, if we choose, be completely grateful to have made it to the age we are, right now. We are fortunate to be breathing together.
Speaking of helping others, I am really excited to share the news that the School for Compassionate Action is re-launching from New York City to Berkeley, California. We are now announcing our first training and series of workshops and mini-retreats in Applied Embodied Mindfulness. Please go here to read more: www.schoolforcompassionateaction.com
Hope to see you soon, somewhere!
Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook ° Follow Baxter Bell Yoga on Instagram ° Join this site with Google Friend Connect
