A well-rounded yoga practice goes well beyond the mat. Most yoga practitioners already know, or very quickly find out, that the only visible representation of practicing yoga are the physical postures.
How can we look beyond the postures, and see ourselves engaging in a practice of wholeness?
This takes a multi-layered approach.
Without going in depth about the philosophical principles of yoga, specifically the influence of the 8 Limbs of Yoga as delineated by Patanjali in The Yoga Sutras, if one would like to be united with the true Self, to follow the path of Yoga, the most important starting point is self-observation - enter the useful guides: Yama & Nyama. Look at yourself. The way you think, the words you say, and the actions you put forth. This is to say, ‘How do others see me?” “How do I present myself to the world?” “Am I a good person to myself, to others?”
When looking in a mirror, can you tell if you are: violent/aggressive, truthful, greedy, moderate, or possessive? Not likely, but perhaps you can discern the energy behind the facial expressions you take, the ones that give you the wrinkles you hate. These aspects of yourself require a subtle lens of discrimination that you put towards yourself - from the inside. It comes by watching your interactions with others and the world around you, and noticing your tendencies. When you come to your yoga mat, as you move through the postures, allowing your breath to cleanse your body/mind, and releasing held tensions from the physical body, you may come to soft (or strong) realisations about yourself and your behaviour that may have eluded you for a long time.
Often, our loved ones may not have the courage (or finesse) to confront us about our harmful behaviours, and we receive blunt criticisms more hurtful than helpful. So how can we become better people, more aware, more kind and compassionate? When you are able to be with yourself, with the eyes closed or softly focused on a symbol, or a speck that helps you keep your mental focus, you are allowing for introspection - a journey to a safe place within you, where you can understand your misgivings, learn your boundaries, heal your hurts, resolve to make amends, and move forward in a better way - beyond any self-imposed judgement. Introspection is a hallmark of what it means to be human, hence the supreme blessing in many cultures to be born in a human incarnation, able to recognise, rectify and influence your life experiences.
Introspective Practice: Go within, and touch upon a moment when you felt safe and supported to learn a lesson along life’s journey with a feeling of awe and appreciation.
How can we see ourself from the viewpoint of others? Can you notice the changes you feel from your practice affecting your daily life? More often than not, we receive positive feedback when things within us feel balanced, positive, and enthusiastic. It is when your friend or partner says, ‘You look great! Your eyes are shining and your skin is glowing. I’m so glad you have found something you love through Yoga.’ We also know that partners become very supportive of our yoga practice because they see and experience the differences in us, and of course, receive the benefit of being around this clear transmission of who we really are.
Go ahead, look in the mirror, listen to your companions, and see your reflection - turn your attention, energy, and influence onto yourself. Consider your presence in this world and what effect it has on those around you. This is the opposite of projection where we play out scenes of continual expression of what is within us without seeing or experiencing the results or effects for ourselves, often seeing what we are - in others. These days, finding the comfort and confidence to look in a mirror with genuine appreciation, gratitude, and self-love is hard to come by. Do you find it hard to look at yourself lovingly in the mirror?
Reflection Practice: Look in the mirror, and scan your face. Look into your eyes, and read the story that your life has written there. Say, “thank you, I love you” to yourself.
Here at Soul Fire Studios, we know that a yoga practice is so much more than moving the body, getting sweaty, or perfecting your physical postures. This is why we love to include classes that allow you to focus somewhere out in space (on our spacey Muladhara mural wall), enjoy the darkness of a slow practice with fairy lights, or even close your eyes whenever you like.
Still, we want to give you options. We want you to come to your practice to really see yourself. Look at your body, your eyes, your postures. Notice how you carry tension in your shoulders, or sink into times of self-doubt or heart protection with a hollow chest, weak breath or abdomen. There are physical signs for what is playing out within you on a mental and emotional level, and it is important that you recognise that the person in the mirror - is you. See yourself as others can see you.
When you begin to practice using mirrors, you will instantly recognise the impulse to look at yourself like a curious and playful child, as well as the instinct to turn away. No matter what you experience, honour that. Make it part of your practice, and own your experience, knowing that your yoga practice sees you from all sides. It is not limited to the mat, the studio, your home, or your social media posts - it is everything about you.
This January, we are cultivating our resources and introducing one wall of mirrors. While there will always be mixed opinions about the role of mirrors in a yoga studio, our intention is clear: yoga presents itself to every student at their own time, helping them to explore their own needs and intentions for that part of their life journey. Many people are looking to learn postures, develop bodily awareness, symmetry, and strength. Mirrors are an excellent tool for teachers and students alike to see and adjust postures. They help you develop independence in building your own practice to suit your physical ability without creating too much dependency on the teacher for demonstrations and adjustments.
The unique feature about the Fire Studio is that you can choose - whether you would like to face the mirrors, or face the mural wall instead. Teachers may also give the option to see yourself from the side by facing towards the centre of the room. Essentially, the addition of these reflective instruments means that you can tune-in to what you want to receive from your practice each day, and place your mat accordingly. Of course, change is always a bit awkward at first, so be patient with the process, and remember: are you choosing to be introspective or reflective in today’s practice?
