The Working Warrior

I know that place.  I have been there many times over.  I lived there.  It became my being, my measure of self-worth, my drug. My work. We all work, and work often demands more of us than we know.  It takes away time from our families, our desires, and our personal goals.  Work always comes first.  We are off balance and we know it.

Over the past 2 weeks I have been practicing what I call "goal-less" yoga.  This is not yoga without a goal. It is yoga that interrupts goals and asks the student to navigate what happens next.

So, here 's how it works, more or less.  The key is the sequence is precariousness.

Begin with the truth that we are goal beings. Admit our goal junkee-ness if you will and then settle into a sitting position preparing the breathe, only to be hoist on to your feet to Tadasana.  Find your balance.  Relocate your feet.  What happened to breathing?  Oh yes, here is it is.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale . . .

Feet pressed firmly on the the floor, shoulders streaming away from the ears, hands at the sides.  We are not soldiers after all. We are warriors.  Incognito and under cover, ready to move at a seconds notice.

Hands raise up, drawing in breath. Exhale arms down.  Inhale hands up.  Exhale down.  Inhale up. Exhale down... Fold.

Inhale, exhale.

Feel the constriction.  Soften the knees, until the belly and the thighs come together.  Breathe. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, expansion and contraction of the rib cage, now focused on the back body.  Finding heat.  Closed eyes.

Index finger middle finger reaches for the big toes.  Elbows fall away, drifting the body forward, teetering on the edge of what's next. The spine relaxes.  The body becomes heavy.  We sway and teeter on the edge of possibility.

Release the toes. Hands settle down on the mat. Index fingers ground, pad of the thumb becomes heavy.  Breathing into the body, lengthening legs if there is room but not losing contact with the belly to thigh.  Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.

Hands become feet.  We walk to the front of the mat to assume the plank position. Tipping forward onto the tops of toes, stacking the heels over the toes.  Collar bones forward, smiling. Hover.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

Hips lift to downward dog. Hands and feet now grounding, thighs lifting the kneecaps, toes lifting up to the shins.  The apex of the pose is created as we tip the tail bone upward, moving the belly toward the thighs once again.

Breathe. Inhale, exhale.  Inhale. Exhale.

Lift the right leg to three legged dog at a 90 degree angle. Lower to Chaturanga. Hover.

Inhale. Exhale.

Pull forward lifting the collar bones upward, moving the hip bones toward the hands. Tops of feet press back, legs engage, thighs lift knees.

Inhale, Exhale.

Roll over the toes to downdog.  Walk to fold.  Hold the toes.  Teeter on the edge.

Bring right leg over left to find Eagle pose.  Hands in prayer, with left tricep over thigh. Teeter.  Inhale. Exhale.

Reach down to find the toe and rise up to standing big toe hold.

Inhale. Exhale.

Open out to a 90 degree angle.

Inhale. Exhale.

Fly. 

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