An Exercise in Integration

While standing, place your feel hip width apart, turn your toes in until your feet are parallel, it will feel slightly pigeon toed (very pigeon toed to me!). Raise your knee caps, tighten your thighs, pull your navel to your to your spine, lengthening your lower back. Raise your shoulders, press them to the wall behind you and lower your shoulder blades onto the back of your rib cage. Externally rotate your arms so that your palms hint forward. Keeping your chin parallel with the floor, slightly move your head toward the wall behind you and lift through the top of your head. Relax your jaw. TaDa Sena!!

During the pandemic, my college roommate has been instructing me in virtual yoga. I broke my leg four years ago and my walking and balance have never been the same. My belief that my leg cannot accept the entire weight of my body is deeply ingrained in my subconscious.

She teaches and practices alignment yoga and she actually describes Tadasana (mountain pose) every time with this level of precision! My Gemini mind is racing, hurry up! Let's get on with it! Then she reminds me that part of what I am learning is patience in a task and not skipping any steps. When I am trying to hold one of the Warrior poses, she asks me, "What can you strengthen to move closer to your goal? Breath into that muscle." In child's pose, "What is in your way, what do you need to let go?" During forward fold, "What modifications will give you the balance you need to extend beyond your beliefs?"

Our physical body has a powerful effect on our mind, spirit and emotions. Exercise strengthens the body and increases blood flow to the brain. Many people find clarity of thought and focus in running. Hitting an exercise bag can reduce stress. Daily walking combats depression and anxiety. What type of exercise do you enjoy?

The other day, my friend asked me to write the answers to four questions before beginning our session. Let me share the questions and my answers:

1. What does AUTHENTICITY mean to you? Answer: telling the truth about yourself. Seeing who you really are and telling people.

2. What does INTEGRITY mean to you? Answer: doing what is right even if it is hard, doing what you say, thinking of others and not just yourself.

3. What does COMPASSION mean to you? Answer: caring about how others feel, knowing how others feel.

4. What does MINDFULNESS mean to you? Answer: focusing your attention on what you are doing, consciously acting, doing things deliberately.

I thought my answers were pretty good. How would you answer?

After writing my answers, we spent 50 mins doing alignment yoga. Moving from position to position. Starting and ending the session with 5 minutes of meditation. I felt the blood flowing, muscles stretching, reaching the limits of my body and asking it to go further. After the session, she asked me to answer each question again and one additional question. As I wrote each answer, I was in shock at how different my answers were the second time. Here they are:

1. What does AUTHENTICITY mean to you. New Answer: Opening your mind and heart to your true self.

2. What does INTEGRITY mean to you? New Answer: Treating yourself and others with respect.

3. What does COMPASSION mean to you? New Answer: Feeling loved unconditionally.

4. What does MINDFULNESS mean to you? New Answer: Watching my words and actions in life.

Her additional question took me by surprise and at first, I drew a blank. Then thoughts began to flow in my mind:

5. What do BOUNDARIES mean to you in relationship to these questions? Turn your walls into fences, let go of control, and it's okay to open your heart with proper boundaries to protect you.

My spiritual, mental and emotional perspective had moved INWARD. An hour of yoga had changed my mind and integrated my heart.

Next time you go for a run, life some weights, practice yoga, swim or go for a hike in the mountains, try creating an intention of aligning your mind, body, emotions and spirit into an improved you! If you are struggling with a decision, write down your thoughts before you exercise, allow your mind to rest during the experience and then write your thoughts after. I wonder if your perspective will change?