Approaching practice without judgement
One of the themes that came out of Kino’s workshop last weekend was a three step process for approaching practice:
- first become aware of your body and breath
- then practice satya – truthfulness towards what you discover
- then practice with maitri (friendliness or compassion) when working in that area
For example in the opening sun saluations you become aware that your left hip is tight. You observe this and truthfully assess it, perhaps your left hip is generally tighter than the right or perhaps you have an injury. Then approach your practice with this truthful awareness. Practicing Satya will help determine how best to apply maitri and ahimsa in any given moment.
This is not something that we do once, rather it’s something that can be cultivated and practiced as we receive constant feedback from our breath and body. Over time the work we do on the mat will have an impact in how we live our lives, responding with seemingly spontaneous honesty and compassion – er, on a good day of course! 😉
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