It is amazing how much my emotional state can impact my practice. Different strong emotions produce very different results. When I'm angry, irritated or frustrated I tend to have a strong practice with lots of energy. As I move through the postures, I feel driven and strong- sometimes I think I even push myself too hard. I have to be careful not to overdo it. After class my frustration is definitely mollified, the problem- whatever it was- seems more manageable and less overwhelming.
Sadness is much harder to work through- it makes me feel weak and tired. It can be surprisingly dramatic; my muscles hurt and shake under much less effort than a usual class. I feel as though I just want to stay in savasana even during pranayama breathing. I want to cry and sometimes I do. Class seems to last forever- I just want it to be over. It takes tremendous effort to push through. Staying with my breath helps; letting feelings arise and drift away on their own helps. After class, I might have an emotional outburst on the way home, but it feels like a relief- like I've been holding on to something too tightly and then let it go.
The yoga seems to act as a catalyst for the processing of my emotions and giving those difficult emotions a place to burn up their energy.
No comments:
Post a Comment