I’m back on the exercise wheel again — following that delicate line of trying to exercise to strengthen my back while not aggravating my back. Today’s workout was yoga, and without going further into the woes of my weakened physical self, I’ll just say that breathing, the key to yoga, was very much the key to me not falling over.
Each time I concentrated on breathing, my mind was whisked away to two scenes. The more difficult poses (in other words, most of them) prompted an image of trees and a woodland path, with my breath the wind that rustled the leaves. When calmness was what I sought, an image of a sunlit beach came to mind, and a gentle coastal breeze blew toward me instead. The subconscious is a powerful thing.
I know that the very spirit of yoga is based on nature, but never has it been more apparent that nature is in the very spirit of me.
Shouldn’t this mean that yoga ought to be easy for me? So unfair.
I’m a big fan of yoga and absolutely believe in its benefits – physically, spiritually and mentally. Good for you…keep practicing!
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It’s so good to see that someone else combines yoga and visualizing scenes from nature. I’ve found that the two go together very well. Now it seems the poses automatically bring up nature scenes much like you described. Great read. Thank you!
I think yoga helps the mind relax and take you to a place of serenity within. Like you, whenever I try to relax, or mediate, or find some sense of spirituality, my mind pictures a scene in the woods. I can almost hear the silence and smell the pine needles. You are right, the subconscious is a powerful thing indeed!