Finding freedom in the body
By Ron Kampeas, Sun & Moon student since 2001
One of the most rewarding things about yoga is that it meets you where you are, like a GPS app whose only setting is the one that activates when you bring mindfulness to meet it.
I came into Melissa’s class on Saturday with lower back ache. Nothing new there as I age — sometimes it takes hours for the stiffness to wear off. I knew I would leave her class better than I came in. Melissa is calm and kind, her guidance is precise and her class is the perfect kickstart to the weekend.
Even after 25 years, it’s hard to quit the male ego, the impulse to push myself harder. “Listen to your body” is harder than it seems: You listen to your body, but also to your memories, your regrets and your defiance. And sometimes, you become aware that it’s time to give in.
That’s what I was feeling when Melissa guided us through gate pose. As I leaned left toward my splayed left leg, I thought, maybe this is where I should stop. My side and back were aching. But acceptance, hard won through years of battles with my inner 12-year-old, opened up a vista. Finding my breath and my patience, I had a vision of the pose, and my body knew the way. The ache receded and my body guided me through the tiniest of adjustments — and then I was there.
You open the GPS app with a vague idea of your destination: "coffee near me,” and it comes up with a range of options, with star ratings and brief descriptions of what makes each stand out. Bringing patience and attention to the GPS aspect of yoga, you know the pose you need, the destination becomes more and more specific, and it fulfills what the body is asking for. That's because you’ve adjusted your settings to the way you like best — say “safest and most scenic” — and your body guides you there.
I landed in gate pose, as much ego-free as it was caffeine-free. The perfect start to my morning.