Lion's Breath

In my yoga classes at Sanctuary Power Yoga,  I've started teaching something called "lion's breath".  You take a big breath in then open your mouth wide, stick out your tongue & breath out - loudly.

It's a great release - it's fun & funny.  Try it.  Go for it.

People who've been practicing yoga for a while really get into it.  Newer students are reluctant.  I teach it when everyone is on their back with their eyes closed, so you can't see what anyone else is doing.  Even so, many people don't stick out their tongue, don't make any noise.  I can sense the uncertainty in people, the nervousness, the "this is weird, what will people think" feeling.

I asked my students the other day "remember when you were a kid & loved to stick out your tongue?"... Do you?

When we're kids, we don't care how we look.  If our hair stands up, our socks don't match.  We don't care what other people think about how we look.  We're not embarrassed to try something new & fun & we're not embarrassed when we fall.  We just get up & try again.

Then something happens & all that shifts (for most of us).  We're told how we should look & act & we gradually become more & more self-conscious about our appearance & our actions & we become concerned with fitting in.

I remind students when they're in class that they don't have to worry about how they look.  They don't have to worry if "they're doing it right".  Their practice doesn't have to look like anyone else's.  If they want to try something new that looks fun (or even a little scarey) - go for it.  I ask them to think less about other people & feel more.  Feel what they want to do & don't stop to overthink it.

With time, this creates another shift.  Back to that place where you become unconcerned with what other people think about you.  You don't care what they think about your yoga practice, the way you dress, the house you live in, the car you drive, the way you live your life.  You practice feeling what you want & you go for it. 

When I opened Sanctuary Power Yoga a year ago, it felt right.  It didn't necessarily make any sense - the country was/is in a recession, I didn't do any market research, we didn't really even have the money for it.  But it just felt right.  And with support of everyone who loves me - I decided to go for it.  I'm glad I did.

What would you do if you weren't concerned about what other people think?  What fun, scarey thing would you try?  What makes you happy?  What do you love doing?

Don't overthink...just go for it.

You can now find my blog at the Register Citizen: http:http://www.registercitizen.com/blogs/life/