In its purest form, the Vinyasa experience is what Patanjali calls samyamah, a synthesis of forms of concentration which modulate the fluctuations of the mind, in this case, the focus is on breath, movement, intention and internal anchoring in the moment by moment unfolding of time. The result is that beautiful transcendental physical flow that so many of us admire, aspire to and experience. In my experience the vinyasa is an inner experience first, an inner experience of moving intentionally through time and space oriented primarily in an anchoring in the wisdom self.
To understand this brings us to one of Patanjali’s key instructions about yoga, that yoga is nurtured through the practice of abhyasa (practice time spent dwelling in the true nature) or practice dwelling in our true nature, the wisdom self, and vairagya – detachment. These practices form the landscape from which the classical practices of renunciation arise. In it’s essential form, renunciation is an inner practice, developed through outer practice. A simple moment when you soften around a moment of change can teach us a lot about the inner landscape of yoga. What do we feel as we begin to move, is it sticky? Clunky? Awkward or painful? Or does it flow? Are we able to be still comfortably or at a different pace, comfortable? Our capacity to do that is built on practicing this inner spaciousness which arises with practice and detachment. The experience of and wake from the COVID related worldwide shutdowns has triggered an avalance of change. Having survived four job changes and a tumultuous presidential election which, last night I found myself cringing in fear at the thought of further changes which will likely be unfolding as we move forward. Who knows what’s coming? Cringing. I was actually cringing. And then, like a good dream my years of practice kicked in and I was awash in love and gratitude rather than fear of what was to come. I am grateful that I was here in this beauty and that I have had the experience of knowing amazing people in my life. Things may be different for all of us moving forward, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be good. I find this way of vinyasa-ishly moving through a challenging experience helps me keep it in perspective. It’s like walking through the streets of the city, any city. Every neighborhood has it’s flavor and feel and we are just walking through those varying flavors and feels. An uncomfortable neighborhood doesn’t require us setting up house there. One the inner level we don’t need to set up camp in an interior landscape of opinion and belief which doesn’t serve us. Instead we set up our camp in the wisdom self as we move through the discomforts and comforts of life. Th
In its purest form, the Vinyasa experience is what Patanjali calls samyamah, a synthesis of forms of concentration which modulate the fluctuations of the mind, in this case, the focus is on breath, movement, intention and internal anchoring in the moment by moment unfolding of time. The result is that beautiful transcendental physical flow that so many of us admire, aspire to and experience. In my experience the vinyasa is an inner experience first, an inner experience of moving intentionally through time and space oriented primarily in an anchoring in the wisdom self.
To understand this brings us to one of Patanjali’s key instructions about yoga, that yoga is nurtured through the practice of abhyasa (practice time spent dwelling in the true nature) or practice dwelling in our true nature, the wisdom self, and vairagya – detachment. These practices form the landscape from which the classical practices of renunciation arise. In it’s essential form, renunciation is an inner practice, developed through outer practice. A simple moment when you soften around a moment of change can teach us a lot about the inner landscape of yoga. What do we feel as we begin to move, is it sticky? Clunky? Awkward or painful? Or does it flow? Are we able to be still comfortably or at a different pace, comfortable? Our capacity to do that is built on practicing this inner spaciousness which arises with practice and detachment. The experience of and wake from the COVID related worldwide shutdowns has triggered an avalance of change. Having survived four job changes and a tumultuous presidential election which, last night I found myself cringing in fear at the thought of further changes which will likely be unfolding as we move forward. Who knows what’s coming? Cringing. I was actually cringing. And then, like a good dream my years of practice kicked in and I was awash in love and gratitude rather than fear of what was to come. I am grateful that I was here in this beauty and that I have had the experience of knowing amazing people in my life. Things may be different for all of us moving forward, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be good. I find this way of vinyasa-ishly moving through a challenging experience helps me keep it in perspective. It’s like walking through the streets of the city, any city. Every neighborhood has it’s flavor and feel and we are just walking through those varying flavors and feels. An uncomfortable neighborhood doesn’t require us setting up house there. One the inner level we don’t need to set up camp in an interior landscape of opinion and belief which doesn’t serve us. Instead we set up our camp in the wisdom self as we move through the discomforts and comforts of life. Th
In its purest form, the Vinyasa experience is what Patanjali calls samyamah, a synthesis of forms of concentration which modulate the fluctuations of the mind, in this case, the focus is on breath, movement, intention and internal anchoring in the moment by moment unfolding of time. The result is that beautiful transcendental physical flow that so many of us admire, aspire to and experience. In my experience the vinyasa is an inner experience first, an inner experience of moving intentionally through time and space oriented primarily in an anchoring in the wisdom self.
To understand this brings us to one of Patanjali’s key instructions about yoga, that yoga is nurtured through the practice of abhyasa (practice time spent dwelling in the true nature) or practice dwelling in our true nature, the wisdom self, and vairagya – detachment. These practices form the landscape from which the classical practices of renunciation arise. In it’s essential form, renunciation is an inner practice, developed through outer practice. A simple moment when you soften around a moment of change can teach us a lot about the inner landscape of yoga. What do we feel as we begin to move, is it sticky? Clunky? Awkward or painful? Or does it flow? Are we able to be still comfortably or at a different pace, comfortable? Our capacity to do that is built on practicing this inner spaciousness which arises with practice and detachment. The experience of and wake from the COVID related worldwide shutdowns has triggered an avalance of change. Having survived four job changes and a tumultuous presidential election which, last night I found myself cringing in fear at the thought of further changes which will likely be unfolding as we move forward. Who knows what’s coming? Cringing. I was actually cringing. And then, like a good dream my years of practice kicked in and I was awash in love and gratitude rather than fear of what was to come. I am grateful that I was here in this beauty and that I have had the experience of knowing amazing people in my life. Things may be different for all of us moving forward, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be good. I find this way of vinyasa-ishly moving through a challenging experience helps me keep it in perspective. It’s like walking through the streets of the city, any city. Every neighborhood has it’s flavor and feel and we are just walking through those varying flavors and feels. An uncomfortable neighborhood doesn’t require us setting up house there. One the inner level we don’t need to set up camp in an interior landscape of opinion and belief which doesn’t serve us. Instead we set up our camp in the wisdom self as we move through the discomforts and comforts of life. That, is transcendence.
Natalie Ullmann 