Experiencing the Value of Yoga

“Words fail to convey the total value of yoga. It has to be experienced” BKS Iyengar


Practicing yoga with my husband since January (the beginning of World Yoga Practice Month ) has been both a joy and a challenge.

It has been a joy because I love my yoga practice and have wanted my husband to practice with me for some time now. The challenge comes in when I am trying to keep the practice interesting enough for him to keep coming to the mat everyday.

He is an avid exerciser and a runner, so he is not new to putting in the hard work and discipline it takes to create and keep healthy habits.

I created a practice with simple postures so he can work on flexibility and balance and feel confident and strong while familiarizing himself with the flow of yoga. We have gradually added a few more challenging postures.

I am learning to look at yoga through new eyes. It has put a new meaning to the term observing the body, breath and sensations as a “detached witness“.

I know he watches for guidance, as I move into and out of the asanas, and I in turn watch myself also, making myself more aware and conscious of proper alignment, proper breathing and focus.

I also have to be the detached witness while watching and “feeling” his body move in and out of the poses without the temptation to react, judge or criticize.

With this new awareness and focus we are both moving deeper into the practice of yoga, learning and sharing together, and moving through our limitations and expectations.

It has enriched my yoga practice and made it an even more joyful part of my day now that we are practicing together. It is a joy because I am happy to share yoga and it’s wonderful healthy benefits with my partner. It is a joy to hear him tell me how good he feels after practice. It is a joy to have him be the one who asks to practice each day.

And it is a joy to see him “experiencing the value of yoga” for himself.

Namaste
Gypsy Girl