Expansion

I have taken trips to several national parks over the years. One of the most memorable trips that I took was to the Rocky Mountains National Park in Colorado. I specially remember hiking a trail which at its highest point was close to 11,000ft. I remember feeling a sense of openness and expansion as I stood at that point. The unobstructed view of the park gave me a feel of infinity that brought a sense of lightness and awe. 

Even though places like this can evoke these kind of feelings within ourselves, we can have a similar experience just by taking the time to check in with ourselves and specially with our breath. The torso and more specifically the rib cage is the place where we experience the breath more clearly in our body.

It takes practice to learn to breathe properly as we do a yoga pose and specially as we transition from one pose to another.  For some reason we instinctively hold the breath as we experience a challenging physical exertion.  This week we will be turning our attention to the rib cage and the torso as we practice yoga. We will also take some time to learn to experience the breath more continuously in our practice.

I look forward to seeing you in class.

Blessings

Jorge Nihāl