I have been preparing to teach a 40 hour intensive training about Yin & Restorative yoga next weekend. It’s something new, challenging and exciting for me; however, I have not given myself any time to rest. One of my teachers once said “We teach what we need to learn”… and this feels very true right now.

Today I am unable to speak. My vocal cords have stopped working. It’s pretty much the only way that I will take a break from teaching my classes and give myself some space. A forced period of REST, for someone who is putting together a program and educational materials about REST, RESTORATION, BALANCE, and WELLNESS.

The irony in this has inspired me to make this post, about the deeper layers of awakening and realization that are available as part of a consistent and committed yoga practice. If you play the edges of your physical body enough times; eventually you’ll arrive at a deeper inquiry of what resistance is really about… and discover that there’s usually more to it than muscle tension. I believe that is where the magic of the practice comes alive. The moment when going to my mat shifts from “I need to stretch my hamstrings”, to a true exploration of what surfaces when I meet resistance.

If I am truly present and alert in the moments when resistance or discomfort arises; there is so much potential in that moment. There is potential for awareness, for truth, for a choice to make a change, and for freedom from attachment to old “stuff”. This potential comes from the willingness to pause, to ask questions, and to be open in my heart and mind to what is revealed.

Questions like: “What is stopping me?” “Could I do more?” “How can I do more?” “What thoughts and emotions are present?” “Are they true?” “What boundaries do I need to honor, what boundaries can shift?” Ultimately, in the moment, I am empowered to discover what is true, necessary and relevant, and what I am ready to release.

This potential arises every time we encounter resistance, on or off the yoga mat. The key element is being aware, and willing. Today I learned that I was pushing myself too hard… and I am not pausing to listen and live out these teachings. Next time I might need to re-learn the same lesson, or it might be something new.

One ancient model of understanding is the Kosha Model. The Koshas are the facets or levels of human being. They help us to form a map to understand ourselves. These layers describe our existence in the form of sheaths, like layers of an onion, from the physical to the subtle. The practice of yoga involves bringing awareness to each of these intricate layers of our being. They can briefly be described as: The physical body, energetic body (the breath), thoughts and emotions, inner intelligence, and inner peace or ultimate freedom.  Personally, I have used the experience of the deeper layers of my being to let go of attachments that were keeping me bound and stuck in the other layers. Your physical body, as well as your mind and emotions are only one layer in the Kosha model. This can be a reminder, and an incentive to let go of attachment to thoughts, habits, stories, patterns, and even powerful emotions. There is more to you. It is there, whether you choose to focus on it or not. If you choose to focus on it, you bring more of your awareness to your whole being. This can contribute to feeling more peaceful, balanced, centered and whole.