I arrived to Munich two days ago. I felt exhausted from lifting up boxes and packing -- all what comes with a move.
I am staying in a co-living place that offers various services, including yoga classes in the building. After digging deep into my suitcases trying to find my yoga pants, I successfully landed on the mat at 8 am.
My body felt stiff, the class was simple, and it gave what I needed: I started to remember why I love yoga.
That so much familiar feeling when I arrive home to myself. When I observe, move, stay still and surrender.
I remembered an article I wrote around 2016. I was an avid ashtanga yoga practitioner back then, six days a week, entering the local shala around 6 am and breathing and sweating through the morning on the mat. It was also the time when I was about to quit my corporate job where I managed a cross-continental team and optimizing finance processes. Not much later I went to India dwelling deep into meditation and right after that I headed off to the US and started my expat life.
Photo: own, in Joshua Tree National Park, Californi
Open your heart
Today morning the yoga class's theme was heart opening. The words of the below article still stand. I can't imagine a more brave thing to do than opening your heart to love fearlessly. Also in 2023.
Here is the original article (first published in 2016):
When I first stepped on the mat on an ashtanga yoga class 5 years ago, I had no idea what I've just started. I might have thought it's fun -- or it's impossible, weird and extremely challenging.
Not that much time later somebody told me 'think twice before you seriously start this practice, backbends in particular. there is no way back.' A couple of months and practices later, I had the feeling that this practice is amazing(ly challenging). I still didn't know what the whole story is about, I just wanted to go on deeper and deeper. F*** this shit, I should just stop right now, in this very moment and leave it. How many times I felt I don't improve at all, I don't like it at all or that it hurts me bad. Ups and downs come and go. The miracle is somewhere behind all of these. Following each practice, the only thing I wanna do is keep quiet to keep this inner magic as long as possible. Just be there. Just be. Today, was the first time when I said the words 'ekam. inhale.' to another person on the mat. It wasn't just me practicing or attending a Mysore class, I was the one who passed through the words and this wonderful practice to another human being. I started to sense something about the meaning of humility. Towards the tradition, the practice, each breath and each heartbeat. Getting engaged with ashtanga is not an easy journey to take. Not because you wake up before sunrise, practice six times a week (basically 7/24), do difficult postures or make strong commitment. But because ultimately it opens your heart. And I cannot imagine more terrific and brave thing to do in 2017 than opening your heart to love fearlessly.