I am sharing and commenting on this excerpt from one of my favorite daily books of contemplation and inspiration because it speaks to something that is very important to my own perspective about movement, not just yoga but all the movement of living life..
The quote begins:
I teach a flowing style of yoga in which one posture flows into the next. The transition between postures are postures in their own right. The breath and the meditation are unbroken. This is not true in all styles of yoga, nor is such a flow necessary in order for a form of yoga to be effective. The lesson remains, however, that it is our tendency to pay attention to the postures themselves, not to the spaces in between. So it is in life. We leave one relationship or job and set out sights on the next. We cross one item off the to-do list and dive into the next chore. The illusion is that the posture ends.
The reality is that the posture never ends, it just shifts from one form to the next, one lesson to the next, one opportunity to the next. We remain life's student whether we are inhaling or exhaling, in a relationship or out of one, saving the world or looking for a temp job. The posture never ends.
-Rolf Gates, "Meditations from the Mat"
I wholeheartedly agree!
As a species (or perhaps just as a culture) it seems we tend to pay attention to the static moments and the "tasks" of living, and ignore the spaces of movement, the periods of transition in between.
Because of this propensity, we miss out on so many opportunities to notice, observe and learn about our many habits and patterns. We focus on the destination or final product and overlook the options and choices we unconsciously ignored as we moved toward this (temporary) destination!
Because of this habit of focusing on product without recognizing the complexity and process that is involved in all movement, we miss out on the opportunities to explore the choices that are available to us, if we could but see them. We miss out on so many opportunities to expand our resiliency.
In Laban Movement Analysis we use the concept of the “phrase” to expand our focus from the single point in time. We recognize that every single movement and movement sequence can be described within the concept of a “phrase” which recognizes that all movement has a beginning From which we move Through (space, time, an emotion, a body system) that results in our arrival To another place or state (that can and will itself be part of the Through or To of other phrases!
Movement is always moving from-through-to! Every breath, every action, every thought, every relationship, every movement has these three “states” - and this applies to the practice of yoga as well.
This habit of focusing almost solely on the “To” part of the process (the product) is something I observe repeatedly in those clients who seek my support to deepen their yoga practice (as well as those who seek my support for other challenges!). Most clients come to our work together focused on some act of "doing" that they find challenging: they want to "fix" whatever is wrong and then hold on tight to the “right” way of “doing”. They are usually very surprised when I invite them to slow down, shift their focus and join me in exploring the experience of being with the process. Together, over time, we will move From and Through the more foundational developmental patterns that will, with practice, expand their capacity to discover ways to arrive To the place/posture/moment that they desire that is more fully enlivened and more easily created - in their yoga practice and in their life. A place/posture/moment that is, itself, a new place to move From!
This is my approach because I do not teach yoga. My approach as an RSME/T is one of somatic movement repatterning which can deepen ALL movement practices, such as body practices like yoga as well as the actions of simply moving through one’s life.
When a client comes to me to help them with a challenge, I use my extensive understanding of all aspects of What, Where, When, Why and How of movement, including the foundational developmental patterns of human movement, to help them expand their capacity to move (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually) with more ease. I support them not to DO a specific thing, but to cultivate their ability to explore the possibilities of movement while they also learn to observe themselves. I support them to observe their experience and notice the choices available to them. I support them to be more consciously embodied as they move from, through and to these desired "postures"...of yoga, and of life.
As Rolf Gates says, the posture never ends and this is because yoga (like life) is made up of an ongoing complex series of movements! Being more able to Be present within this complexity opens up so many opportunities to Live Life More Fully!
for more information, check out my website: http://www.embodimentllc.com/individual-sessions