Inspire To Align

The physical aspect of yoga, with its focus on strength, flexibility, and alignment, is what many of us are familiar with. However, there is another layer to yoga that is often overlooked but equally important - the energetic aspect. Yoga recognizes that we are not just physical beings, but also energetic beings, and our energetic body plays a crucial role in our overall well-being.

In traditional Ashtanga Yoga, the practice starts with yoga therapy, which focuses on cleansing the nervous system and preparing the physical body for the practice. This is done through a series of postures that generate heat, sweat, and release the physical body, allowing the prana, or energy, to move freely within our system. The physical practice is seen as a way to transform the body from being stiff and rigid to strong, free, and flexible, creating alignment not just in the physical body, but also in the energetic body.

However, the way yoga is often taught in the West tends to focus primarily on the physical aspects, with alignment cues that can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing. We are told to put our foot here, our arm there, our shoulder back, our head elongated. It becomes a mental exercise of trying to remember all the cues, and often, one adjustment can throw another aspect out of alignment.

What if we approached yoga from the inside out, starting with the energetic body? What if we learned to connect with our energetic system first, allowing the physical body to find its true alignment from the centre outwards? This approach involves using imagination, visualization, and energetic connection and direction to guide our movements and postures. It means tuning into our channels and opening them up, allowing our systems to connect on an energetic level.

Feeling energy is not always easy, and it may require practice and awareness. It's not about following step-by-step breakdowns of postures, but rather understanding the energetic aspect of each pose. For example, a simple standing pose may have cues to spread the feet, tuck the tailbone, draw the navel back, and elongate the crown of the head. 

How do we understand these cues from an energetic aspect?  If we were asked to press down through our feet so we can feel the head extending up in relation to that force. Or to feel the relationship between our fingers as our arms outstretch. It's about understanding the forces of direction within our body as we move through the practice.

When we approach yoga from the inside out, we tap into a deeper level of understanding and connection with our energetic body. We learn to listen to our body's cues, sensations, and energy flow, allowing us to find alignment from within. This approach can be empowering and liberating, as we connect with our true selves on a holistic level.

It's important to note that this approach can take time to engage with; and may not be readily accessible to everyone. However, incorporating an understanding of the energetic body into our practice can bring awareness and mindfulness to our movements, allowing us to cultivate a deeper sense of connection with ourselves.

So while the physical strength and flexibility aspects of yoga are important, it's equally crucial to recognise and work with the energetic aspect of our being. Approaching yoga from the inside out, connecting with our energetic body, and allowing our physical body to find alignment from our centre can bring a deeper level of understanding and connection to our practice, and ourselves.