“The action of becoming larger or more extensive.” With the beginning of our week giving us a Blue Supermoon – of which we will not see again until 2037 – this topic has been on my mind. The ways in which we become larger or extend ourselves in all aspects of ourselves; physically, emotionally, psychologically.
In the AYC’s 200HR Yoga Teacher Training we teach a module called Movement Principles. While this module is designed to speak to the physical movements of the body the underlying message is how we take this off the mat beyond the physical. When we think of the physical body expanding; opening the arms and legs wide; extending, reaching tall, or in front of us; we know this concept has a larger impact within our full being.
However, at first the physical is easier to visualize. Allowing ourselves to take up more physical space, perhaps stretching our arms across our bed when we wake. Maybe extending our reach in front of us to feel a stretch through the back and shoulder. It can feel great to find space within the joints and feel the extension of our tissues.
Second, is how we extend ourselves emotionally. Perhaps we share the deepest parts of ourselves with our closest confidents, showing vulnerability in a new way. It could be that we become more emotionally intelligent on how our feelings impact others and take consideration when, who, and how we decide to share our feelings. Or maybe we are empathetic, and we take on the emotions of others, extending our limits too far where we feel tired as a result.
Third, is how we expand our mental health. Recently I received a message from a childhood friend who expressed, in the past, they found it hard to applaud others for doing well without associating negative feelings with it. But has now learned to do this. Perhaps we expand our thinking in a way that allows us to forgive ourselves for mistakes made, and others we feel have wronged us. As a whole, expanding the understanding of our own psychological health, and those around us, can help us realize our abilities, give us the opportunity to learn, and contribute more positively to our relationships and communities.
Journaling Ideas: Make three columns; physical, emotional, psychological and list ways in which you have expanded and, those in which you could expand. Feel free to prioritize the future ways you can expand by putting one a day/week/month into your planner to prompt yourself to take action.
Meditation Ideas: Explore the emotions you feel when you expand. Begin with ribcage breathwork; in a seated position with hands on the front ribs, feeling them expand on each inhale. What emotion comes to mind first.
Does that emotion bring you into the presence of a place or person. Continue to explore this path, allowing your thoughts to flow freely. Try not to stay on one thought, but rather acknowledge them and then let them go by. If you wish to add sounds to the background, I suggest a 432HZ frequency, which is known as the “Frequency of the Universe”. Click here for a link on Spotify.
Yoga Poses to Add to Your Practice This Week:
- Five Point Star Pose (Utthita Tadasana): Extending all our extremities to our limits.
- Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana): Focusing on the upward extension of the chest, lifting the heart, allowing new love to come in.
- Extended Triangle (Utthita Trikonasana): Focusing on the opening of your stance, perhaps take it a little wider this week. Allow the bottom hand to reach for the earth, if you can let it float off the leg/block, and the upper hand to reach for the sky. Find extension in another plane.
- Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II): Once again the focus on the stance and reach through the arms.
- Supine Hand to Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana): Take a moment to rest your back on the mat, find extension one leg at a time. The beauty of this pose is the release, when you can feel one side of the body extending – I like to call it the yoga pose party trick!
- Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III): Challenge your balance with a Vira III. Choose the variation with the arms extending forward, or, sweep those hands back along side the hips and extend the crown of the head into the room.
- Headstand/Handstand (Sirasana/Adho Mukha Vrksasana): If inversions are in your practice find our extension from the head, or hands, upward!
Remember to always practice within your own limits and take care of physical and emotional well-being.