Yoga has been a mainstay of my exercise routine for years now, but since the pandemic began, I’ve had to rely on Youtube or my own made-up routines to keep my flexibility (and sanity). As part of a meditation app I use, live yoga classes have been made available on a donation basis. I’ve enjoyed the wide variety of teachers from far-flung places like Canada and the UK, along with those in the US.
In a recent class, the teacher said something that made me think about my relationship with my body. We were going into a twist pose, and she encouraged everyone not to twist to their maximum ability, but instead, to twist just far enough to feel the gentle pull. “You have to help your body learn to trust you,” she said. I dutifully held the pose at less than my maximum twist until she said, “Now take it slightly further, now that your body knows you’re listening to it.”
I don’t know about you, but I’ve not thought about cultivating trust with my body. I’ve often thought that I was the “boss,” and my body was to do whatever I told it to do. I’ve eaten foods I know don’t agree with my digestion and have pushed myself in exercise classes to keep moving even when I needed a break just to keep up with everyone else who was mostly younger than me. During those times, I felt like my body was letting me down.
My yoga teacher’s words helped me to see that our relationship with our bodies is more of a partnership than a dictatorship. We have many wonderful experiences because we are embodied, but it requires a sensitivity to our physical limitations and eccentricities. We may say we take care of our bodies, but our care for our bodies should go beyond putting food/drink in and getting some sleep. It’s not like we’re a car that only needs the gas tank filled up and oil changes every 5000 miles to keep running.
I’m learning to be quieter and to listen closely because, at least at first, the body doesn’t speak very loudly. Am I really hungry, or do I just need a drink of water? Do I need extra rest, or is more movement or exercise what’s needed? It’s a new way of paying attention, this cultivation of trust between mind and body.