On the face of it, yoga seems to be all about flexibility, but strength and flexibility need to be in balance - in order for us to be in balance.
The two foundational pillars of our physical yoga, asana (posture) and pranayama (breath) are the ha and the tha of our practice. Solar and lunar, representing the dual nature in which we see our manifest world.
When in tandem though, hatha means force, and it's through our hatha yoga that we aim to control our flow of life force, to ultimately achieve balance. The upward and downward energies bring us lightness, and yet at the same time, ground us.
When it comes to balance poses themselves, they can be seated, standing or upper body eg boat, tree, crow. They require both mind and body to be engaged; muscles both contracted and relaxed to provide strength without rigidity; and if we are to succeed, our responsiveness must remain nuanced.
As in life, hatha is therefore a dance of both control and surrender, and it is in the refining of this energy of opposites, that we learn balance... both on, and off the mat.
Nikki teaches Wednesday 7pm Stiff Girl Yoga and 8pm Stiff Guy Yoga, and Saturday Hatha 8.30am.
Written by Nikki Lynds-Xavier and published on Monday 24th June 2024 at 17:00
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