Feb 17 2008
Exhale
In the yoga practice, it is said, that the practice on the mat is a symbol of how we live our lives off the mat. If we are frustrated and judgemental with ourselves in our postures then it is likely we are judgemental and frustrated with ourselves off the mat. If we hold our breath on the mat it is a clue to that we may also hold on to things in our life. If we hold or grasp on the exhale it is likely we have difficulty letting life flow, allowing new things to come into our life and allowing the old to flow out. The breath is a very symbolic limb of the yoga practice. Imagine the inhale as being symbolic of your ability to take in new life, ideas, relationships, thinking patterns, and the unexpected. Now imagine the exhale as being a symbol of your ability to let go, to release, to destroy - negative thinking, old thought-forms that don’t serve your highest good, relationships -personal and professional - tensions and toxicities. For today, see if you can practice extending your exhale longer than your inhale in your breathing patterns. Consciously count the length of your inhale and your exhale. Now lengthen the exhale to allow the breath to exit two to three counts longer than the inhale. See if you can practice this exercise for 5 minutes every hour and then choose to lengthen this practice, up to 15 minutes or more, on days when you are needed extra helping letting go. Notice how easy it begins to be to let go and let if flow! As they say in Maui - relax and let go!