Have been using "The 84th Problem" story in teaching these past few days. Discussing how attachment and aversion show up in practice - what we can skillfully do when attachment/aversion show up - noting impermanence. I am finding that the story brings in an element of humour (oh nagging wife... ha ha) which students are responsive towards. And then you get to explore difficult elements like long holds, jump switches, or new transitions with a smile and a reason!
Time: 8:24am
What: 15 minutes asana / 15 minutes seated practice
Focus: Awareness at nostrils - "In/Out"
Noticed a difference in seated practice versus asana practice this morning. Seated: I appreciate eyes open and awareness in the world. Asana: I can't seem to keep my eyes open. Unconsciously, they keep closing once holding postures.
There was a constant internal dialogue this morning - planning class, day, week... Notes about awareness of breath at the nostrils: 1) can make you a little cross eyed (memorandum to self: you do not need to look at the nostrils to bring your awareness there), 2) it feels very "in the head" and removed from the rest of the body.
Time: 8:22pm
What: 10 minutes seated practice
Focus: Awareness at nostrils - "In/Out"
Am carving out a new routine of practicing twice per day. Hope to increase the time soon. Taught two classes this morning, biked uphill against the wind, napped the afternoon away, blogged, and then sat. Surprisingly quiet internal dialogue. Concentration at the nostrils (with awareness of the rest of the body moving subtly with breath) and fairly consistent awareness of in, in in, out, out, out...
1 comment:
Have been using that story too - kind of really loving it in regards to accepting everything that comes up in the practice and allowing it not to be perfect.
I think we need to make a yoga stories book!
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