Sunday, August 11, 2013

Quote from Rodney Yee's and Nina Zolotow's *Yoga: The Poetry of the Body*

Falling. Falling is what is always happening.  To hold a yoga pose is not possible; it's a sensuous dance, moment by moment. And rigidity is simply the illusion that we can create a world in which we're not falling.

Can you mindfully practice falling? Falling away from your habits, falling out of your habits? Can you play with center?  Question center? Use falling as a way to question what you think of as center?

Centering. Center is not a place but a dialogue.  Your dialogue with the floor and sometimes with the wall.  The dialogue between your mind and your body.  A playful dialogue.  A relaxed dialogue.  A curious dialogue.

Can you observe and respond?  Pose and repose? Can you be in the pose instead of doing the pose?  Can you let yourself shimmer in the center?

Balance. Balance is your ability to fall and then retrieve yourself.  As you fall out of center and then into it and then out of it - again and again - you may begin to lose your old sense of orientation.  And to feel fear.  Fear of what? Of change? Of not knowing? Of losing control?

Yoga: The Poetry of the Body
by Rodney Yee and Nina Zolotow


1 comment:

  1. I'm so glad you quoted this. This passage was so helpful in my own practice and teaching when I came across it about a year ago--it's wonderful to have a reminder here! Thank you!

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