The journey to advancing your asana practice starts with the self.
Last month, we wrote about turning the awareness inward with breathwork. Inward awareness is what’s truly going to transform your asana practice. Our bodies are unique which means the way we move is unique. Teachers are invaluable, but only we know what’s going on inside our bodies. Taking your practice to the next level begins with bringing all your focus and attention to the body (internal and external).
Try this exercise:
After a warm up, come into your favorite standing posture. From the feet to the crown of your head, evaluate the posture internally. What adjustments can you make to breathe easier? What adjustments can you make to feel more spacious in the body? Repeat on the opposite side and note any differences.
Since we can’t see what our bodies are doing, it’s always helpful to have a teacher, friend or even a mirror to observe how our bodies move. If there is a pose you are working on improving, use that second set of eyes to get yourself into the optimal posture. From there, use that inward awareness and get the body to “feel” the alignment.