I hope you are having a good labor day weekend and finding ways to find some balance from all the work, worry and problems in the world. I was with friends outside enjoying safe social distancing while enjoying this amazing weather.
I was watching a video the other day and the speaker showed two images of circles; one blue and one red. He said "one of the circles is larger than the other. So he took a poll from the audience as to which one they thought was bigger. After this he said, "I will now tell you that the circles are actually the same". This was how he explained our brain works; we hear something and our reality is then based off this. We may even see it visually as fact. This is why it is so hard to change because our thoughts can determined our reality.
Thoughts are not facts though and instead if we develop a yoga practice around examining and observing we can witness and pause long enough to question and clearly respond. This is quite hard to do, especially on our own at first. For example if I ask you to bend your knee, reach your hand for your foot and if you can't do this you may tell me that your hamstrings are tight. You may even tell me that you aren't flexible and need to lengthen your hamstrings. You start to blame yourself and come up with solutions that you "think" will help. But let's pause there.
Your detail is based off of what you were told in the past and you went with that decision for a long time and probably didn't question it...till now. Therefore I like to help you explore things you may have been told, learn to keep examining and questioning all the time. Even what I share with you. Fact is we are always changing and so is scientific information.
What if I told you that your hamstrings maybe tight but not the way you were taught; but from over-pulling? That in fact the shorter area that needs to lengthen is often in the front of your body; the thigh and chest. This may explain why doing more forward folds never helped you improve the flexibility and tightness you are experiencing in the example just provided. Consider and maybe your own awareness will shift to help you more.
Another step is learning about our brain function. The word yoga means reconnect and wasn't to perform physically, but to notice the brain functions with the body. When we stop developing cognitive brain function, we often don't process information well. We "think" we heard instruction but instead of asking more questions or taking time to process the information we come to conclusions and react. Processing a lot fast also hurts our bodies responses that are trying to make us aware but we often over-ride that message in favor for what we "thought". I often see this on social media as we have stopped questioning or because we don't want to see the reality as our identity is often tied to our thoughts (known as the ego). As I study more about science I have learned how to research and determine the source, bias, inconstancies and facts myself.
If you learn anything from my story about the circles, it is that you should consider your reactions and see if you were simply taking someones words as facts; yes even mine. I like to be a guide and you are in-charge always. Listen in life but examine, ask questions and learn to trust your inner voice. Want to question more like this with me? The "Yoga Series" is about to start up again this week. Wednesday is sold out but Tuesday is open still.
If you feel upset because this labor day isn't what you wanted or not the way you were conditioned; start there. I hope to see you online soon and many of us are transitioning into new work and school schedules; be sure to slow down, rest and mentally process all the new information your are processing so you clearly hear it. It will be normal to feel quite tired from the new processing you are doing.
Now go out and have a good day without conditions or terms based off of your thoughts. Pause and now what will you do to have a good labor day?
"Have a good day for no reason!"
---Paige