The best state for your practice is the state that you are in right here right now.
This is the state to begin from and with.
A state is a mind-body-heart-soul-systemic experience in a moment in time.
Maybe you define your state as anger, irritation, ungroundedness, lack of presence, sadness, boredom, tiredness, anxiety, panic, traumatized, overwhelmed.
However, whyever, wherever, whatever, whoever you define your state as, your state is the place to begin from and with for your practice.
There is no such as thing anger or tiredness or ungroundedness or sadness or grief or anxiety or panic or overwhelming being inappropriate or bad or wrong states to begin from and with.
Infact there is no such thing as bad or wrong or inappropriate or worst state. There is also no such thing as best or good or appropriate or ideal state to begin one’s practice from and with.
Our state has an impact on our ability to open up, to receive and to be moved through the process that our practices lead us on.
The problem is not the state we are experiencing but rather our beliefs, our judgement, our constructed identities connected to our experienced state.
The majority of us, including me ( I do get caught up in the drama at times), believe that certain states are to be avoided at all cost for our practices. For example, anxiety is not welcome in the practice of yoga or resistance and sadness are not welcome in women circles; panic and mental activities are not appropriate and are not welcome in meditation practice.
We unconsciously and/or consciously identify ourselves with our state and from that identification, we judge based on our beliefs around anger, or anxiety or panic or irritation or sadness among others.
I am growing in awareness of how less if not , we hardly speak of such things in yoga classes and other practices on the path of self development and growth.
All states are welcome. Having awareness of the states that we are experiencing is the power owned. What gives rise to conflicts and challenges us are rather our attempts to push over, depress , to suppress, to repress and to bypass our states.
It takes a level of ego-strength, that is, sense of self to move into saying and stating “this is my experience. This is not me but an experience potent with teaching possibilities and growth.”
Regardless of what we experience as states, each state is deserving of our attention, passion, energy, presence, heart, ears and body.
A state comes with deep possibilities to offer us whatever it is that is ripe in the wait to be received.
Our running away, rushing through, pushing away, bypassing, judging , negating is what intensify the experience of discomfort that comes along with the states.
Discomfort has it’s throne amidst our practice within communities. Had it not been for discomfort, we teachers would not exist, we would not be being and doing that which we are being and doing. none of us would exist, growth happens through deep discomfort.
I believe it takes teachers, circle holders, facilitators, leaders, members and fellow humans to say to oneself and to each other “ I am safe to experience whatever it is in this body, you are safe to experience whatever it is in this body, they are safe to experience whatever it is in this body and we are safe to experience whatever it is in this body.”
If you wonder about the best way to prepare prior to your yoga class or coaching or meditation or circle, prepare by giving due space to your state and if you are struggling to accept your state, then accept this struggle.
Accepting does not mean liking or befriending, it means acknowledging whatever it is that you are experiencing.
Only from that space will you be able to receive fully from yourself and ease from one state into another.
From now onwards, I invite you to bring your state, your discomfort along on the mat, on your chair, on your couch, side by side as you gaze through the screen, through your eyes, through your heart, through your body, through your nervous system ,through your entirety connecting with teachers, voices, words, seers, fellows, lovers, communities, breathe and heave along, for all belong and all are held.
Love from my heart to yours
Love from my body to yours
Love from my nervous system to yours
Image Shelby Miller @Unsplash
Post © Megha Venketasamy, 2021. All rights reserved.
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