Yoga is of course more than physical poses or postures. But the poses ARE one of the clearest ways to visually represent the whole of the practice. And thus we post our poses...on websites, on Instagram, Steemit etc.
Now the physical poses do help open up the body and the mind, work through physical and energetic blockages, and so on, but the essence of the practice of yoga is mindfulness, clear seeing, knowing thyself and seeing through thine own bullshit patterns. 🙏🏽✌🏾So for me, at least, that essence of yoga is something that I strive to practice all the time, everywhere, and anywhere. I don't always succeed, but I keep striving and recommit when I struggle.
My photo shoot with Robert Sturman last week reflects the essence of this. We did the shoot just out on the streets of Asheville with people and cars passing by. It's hard for me to depict in a photo of myself walking down the street and seeing things that trigger my ego, to reflect my inner work of seeing clearly and paying attention to my breath. Instead I show myself doing a physical backbend on a street corner to represent the mental yoga work I strive to practice daily. Yoga all the time. Mindfulness, presents, staying with the breath. And when we slip and get caught back up in our ego's bullshit patterns...just begin again, back with the breath.