Signs Around Town


This morning at the Supreme Court of the United States. I have been getting better about engaging in difficult conversations. This is a straightforward point to make: “relief first.”

For those students who live within a few blocks, have power, and are not needed for such emergency assistance that can be provided before the trains are running and the roads reopened, what better than to come out and practice yoga as usual? (Or if the storm has made it impossible to get out, it’s a great time for your home practice).
The yoga practices are such a healthy way to channel the energy from having been cooped up by the storm and to revive and enhance one’s flexibility, adaptability, balance, and strength. It has been my experience that steady practice invites us to be ever more capable to address what confronts and engages us on our path (whether we like it or not). Sending loving energy to all who have been challenged hard by Sandy’s path or otherwise.
The other day in group practice, someone said they wanted to work on a particular pose; another teacher had people working on staying present with pain.
I questioned whether they should trust someone who suggested that they intentionally put themselves in a painful position and then stay there to learn to be with pain.
I questioned whether creating and staying with pain was in any way healing.
I questioned what they meant by pain. I think it is useful to stay with discomfort, for example staying safely with a strong posture that requires muscular and attention effort to maintain.
But pain is an effective warning system. If the pain is sharp or abrupt or sudden or is in tendon or ligament, etc, there will be no benefit to overriding your body’s message to stop.
Better to build strength of attention and focus and body and then apply the practices when life supplies pain that you have no choice but to remain until it heals.