As you begin to hold the postures a little longer, stay with the posture and its sensations as you examine the impressions that arise during the holding. How does whatever you are experiencing on the mat correlate with what is happening in your life off the mat? Here are some examples of how to do this:
Come into Warrior One or Front Warrior
Hold the pose as you B, R, F, W, & A.
What feelings does this posture bring up for you? Do you feel confident, like a warrior? Strong and capable? Where or how are you feeling confident in your life right now? Are there positive results coming out of that?
Or maybe you feel fearful, or weak, as if you might fall out of the pose. In what area of your life are you feeling weak or fearful now? How is that affecting you? Can holding this pose a bit longer, breathing more deeply, help you to feel more courageous and confident? Is there a way you can modify a challenge in your life so that you can feel more confident and strong? Anything you could be doing differently? Do you need to use a "prop" in the way of someone to help you? Hang in there just a little longer; you may be surprised by your hidden strength!
Let's see what we can learn from Triangle Pose.
In this posture you are looking upward, from a different perspective than you are use to. How might "looking at things from another perspective" help to resolve an issue in your life? In a relationship? In a career change? We can get set in our ways of being and thinking and seeing. Extend the arms outward and feel your heart open to change, to new ways of seeing and being. Embrace change as an opportunity for growth, expansion and progression. Maybe you just need to open to another's way of seeing things. Ponder these things as you hold and breathe. Let the impressions arise without forcing them.
Bridge Pose is full of possibilities for introspection!
What is a bridge? It's something that connects two poinnts separated by something impassable. Where are you experiencing separation in your life? In a relationship? Between your dreams and aspirations for your life and where you are today? Your natural self, held back by weaknesses and poor habits, and the person you want to be? What might you do to "bridge the gap"?
Another consideration is the posture itself, with the head below the heart. Picture the love and kindness in your heart flowing gently downward into the practicality and sensibility of the mind. Is there a situation in your life that might benefit from being less "in your head" and more "in your heart"? Consider judgments toward yourself or others. How might you benefit from less logic and fewer "shoulds", and more love and forgiveness? B, R, F, W & A as heart energy melds into the mind!
I love the metaphorical aspects of Cobra!
Think of a snake, periodically shedding its old skin to reveal a bright, new skin. What old habits might you choose to shed so that you can stand anew? Try entering Cobra with no hands, just the strength of your back. Are you strong enough to let go of old, self-limiting beliefs and glide into a new way of being in your skin? As you rise like a Cobra out of the comfort and safety of your basket, let the music of life entice you into new adventures, new experiences, new opportunities for happiness!
After meeting all those new challenges in your life, here is Child Pose, ready to comfort and nurture you as you crawl back into the safety of your own loving self.
This posture counterposes the back-arching poses that put our heart out there, taking chances and exploring our strengths and weaknesses. It feels good to come home to Child Pose whenever you reach the point where a little self-nurturing is needed. Just curl up in your crib, close your eyes, and even suck your thumb if you want to! Child Pose honors all the emotional parts of us and tells us "Take it easy, you are fine, just as you are!"
And now, Corpse Pose.
Metaphorically, Corpse Pose is about opening up into a place of complete trust, with our soft underbelly exposed. Can we completely relax into the vulnerability of this pose? Do we truly trust that life is evolving for us just as it should, and that we can handle whatever life hands us? Do we really believe that God will never ask more of us than we can deliver, with His help?
I hope you enjoyed this session, as you learn about the inner work of yoga. Whatever postures you choose for your home yoga session, take the time to examine what comes up, as you hold and breathe fully. Don't be surprised if you experience tears and sadness at some times, joy and elation at other times. Those feelings and emotions are all there within you, and sometimes a yoga posture provides just the right opening to finally release them. Keep a box of tissues handy, and KEEP BREATHING!
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