We’ve talked about how and why to weave philosophy and spiritual learning into your asana practice, and about how nonduality - a belief in the inextricable oneness of the physical and the spiritual/divine - shows up in practice. Today, I want to offer practical, experiential tools for your asana (yoga poses or ‘postural yoga’) practice from that same nondual perspective.

To recap the Tantric perspective, your body isn’t an obstacle to be overcome in order to connect to spirit; the two are already one and the same. The divine permeates rather than transcends the physical realm. Bliss (enlightenment, ecstasy, freedom, whatever you want to call it) is attainable in this lifetime, in this body. 

Applied to asana practice, this encourages us to move with joy, and guides our effort toward steadiness and suppleness, rather than strain and rigidity. The aim of asana is not to perform a particular external geometry, but to practice an internal liberation allowing energy and breath to move freely.

Suppose that every aspect of your being - physical, psychological, and otherwise - is attached and related in some way to every other aspect.  How might you regard your physical body differently, knowing that it is an integral part of your self?

Through Yoga, our practice of “union,” we seek to loosen our grasp on the mentality that says “I have a body” and open to the possibility of “I am my body and my body is me.”  We practice to welcome a more integrated, embodied way of being.

In our asana practice, embodiment can start with mindfulness of alignment, and expand through the energetic actions (how you use and direct your energy) within a pose: the rooting to rise, the drawing in, the expanding out - these actions breathe life into a static pose, and reinforce the union of body, mind, and heart.  It’s not about identifying only with the body, but rather integrating our whole being into our idea of Self.

Reflection:
Consider the ideas that permeate the culture surrounding you.  Do you see/hear/feel a duality of mind and body?  What about a duality of body and spirit? 
How does this effect the way you move through and/or think during an asana practice? Is that different from the way you move or think about moving in other aspects of your life?

Action Steps Toward Embodiment in Any Posture: At first it will seem laborious and strange to think through these actions step by step, but eventually they will come together as an attitude of engagement. Promise. And remember that even though there is effort in these actions, this isn’t about force or control, but about aligning body and mind to function as one.

1. Connect. Let every moment of your practice come back to your core intention. Let every shape bring you closer to awareness of the divine spark within you, and of your connection to the same spark within everything else. In practice, try settling intention into your breath (so that it moves through every cell) and into your bones (so that it is present and foundational in every shape).

2. Breathe. Simply put, you’re not a statue. Let the breath move you. This pulsation is an intrinsic part of life and of all movements and postures. 

3. Root down to expand up. Actively yield your weight to the earth. Feel the rebound of support as a force for expansion.

4. Draw in. Imagine your body is longing for Tadasana.  Draw from the outer limits of your physical body toward the deepest center of your energetic body, wherever you feel that to be in this pose. Firm your muscles as if they are hugging your bones (the difference between ‘firming’ and ‘flexing’ your muscles might feel subtle at first. focus on the feeling of hugging in). Do this in balance with the first three steps ;-)

5. Align. Find a clear flow of force through your body. Standing or sitting in a pose, imagine breath or energy entering through the soles of your feet and flowing all the way up and out through your fingers or the top of your head. Is there some pinch point where breath or energy would get stuck? Experiment with adjusting the alignment of your pelvis, torso, shoulders, neck, and/or limbs to create an open channel through your body. (There are of course poses designed to close off this flow and create a container for energy rather than a channel, but these are few).

6. Expand out. From the center of your physical body (and again, what feels like ‘center’ might change between different postures), expand out toward fingers and toes. Lengthen out. Extend and deepen. Send that clear flow of energy up and out (while still drawing in and rooting down. This will keep the posture balanced and discourage you from over-extending or over-exerting).

Judith Lasater writes:
“Because these patterns are designed to create the most efficient pathways for movement and expression, once you have discovered how to engage their support you will be able to figure out the alignment of any posture by yourself. This will liberate you from dependence on a teacher, allowing you to trust and follow your own instinctual alignment process… Each movement pattern is [also] directly related to an organizing pattern of consciousness. Thus, when you learn to breathe freely, you are also learning to think and live freely.” 

This last piece takes embodiment beyond the physical postures. On the mat and off, the practice of embodiment allows us to tune in to the constantly fluctuating physical, emotional, and spiritual states within and around us. At times, energy is low and everyone around you seems locked in their own bubble. At other times, we are more expansive. This yoga practice can both celebrate and balance out however we show up to the mat. 

Reflection:
When you think about the actions listed above, are there particular poses or movements that come to mind? Why?
Choose an asana to explore. Consider what it means to be more intentional, engaged, and embodied in this shape. Please share your findings below if you are able!