“Compassion brings us to a stop, and for a moment, we rise above ourselves.” — Mason Cooley

Weekly Focus: Daya / Sympathy and Compassion

Daya is sympathy or compassion; the effort of conquering the insensitive and cruel feelings toward others, thereby allowing compassion to flourish. In some traditions, daya goes beyond compassion and empathy for fellow humans, extending to animals, plants and the earth.

It is easy to get caught up in the ways that we are affected or need to heal within our yoga practice. Yoga is a practice towards greater understanding of who we are, AND, yoga is also an outward extension of who we are. Recognizing the Self means not only to heal our own mental, emotional and spiritual body, but to consider how we show up in the world. Allowing ourselves to live more compassionately can be a reflection of our own healing process.

Growing internally is beneficial not only so that we can become our fullest Self, but also so that we may self-reflect on how we engage and heal as a community. As we begin to form more compassion for ourselves, we may see that the ability to feel compassion for our greater community expands. 

Here are [3] ways to bring more compassion into your life:

1. Consider a recent situation in which someone impacted your life in a way that felt harmful or negative. Take time to journal down as many reasons as you can think of that could have influenced this action. Try to step into the shoes of that individual and offer compassion for what they may be experiencing. Notice how you feel after this practice.
2. The next time someone in your life expresses sorrow, stress, or a general need to converse and share their feelings, hold space for them. Take time to sit down and really listen. Hide your phone, make eye contact, and avoid the urge to share personal anecdotes. Just allow that person to feel what they need to feel.
3. Build compassion for yourself — the next time you notice that you are adding extra pressure to yourself in any aspect of life, take a moment to pause. Ask yourself “why am I holding myself to this standard?” “What can I let go of?” Allow yourself a few moments to breathe. Then, remind yourself that you are doing your best, and that you will be OK.

We all deserve compassion, but we cannot expect compassion from those around us if we do not readily offer it first. Yoga is a practice of intentionality, so the next time we find yourself in a moment of judgment either towards yourself or those around you, perhaps give yourself that moment to pause, and find compassion in the moment.

Passive Pose of the Week:  Sailor’s Knot

Build compassion for yourself first and offer a gentle hug to the body in this gentle shoulder stretch.

• Come to lie down on your belly.
• Come into a Sphinx pose first by lifting up onto the forearms. See that your shoulders stack over your elbows, making a 90 degree bend in the arms.
• Turn your fingers in towards center, so that the right forearm is ahead of the left on the floor.
• Cross the right arm in front of the left and begin to walk to your hands apart (left and right) so that your arms are overlapping.
• Allow your chin to nestle into the space of the arms and rest your head.

Sailor’s Knot may not be a comfortable position for every body. The crossing of the arms can create a lot of compression in the throat and the chest. If you relate to this feeling, give yourself grace and make a different choice. As an alternative to Sailor’s Knot, lie down on your back instead and give yourself a hug by crossing one arm over the other. Take a few breaths, and then switch the cross of the arms.

Still a little uncomfortable? Try this instead — as you lay down, cross your right arm in front of the chest. Bring your left hand to the outside of the right arm and press down slightly, pulling the arm over towards the left. Only go as far as you need to reach 60-80% sensation in your right shoulder. After a few breaths, switch sides.

Active Pose of the Week: Trikonasana (triangle pose)

pronunciation CLICK HERE

Open up your heart to compassion for others in this big lateral bend.

• Stand with your feet 3 – 4 feet apart on the mat, facing the long edge.
• Turn your right toes forward, to the short end of your mat. Your left toes will point to the long edge of your mat.
• Take your hands wide, making a “T” from the shoulders.
• With your hands wide, lean forward over your right leg.
• When you feel that you can stretch no further, let the right arm drop down to the shin of the right leg or a block. Your left arm will reach up to the ceiling.
• Turn you gaze to the ceiling or the floor, anywhere that feels comfortable on your neck.

Sometimes when we come into Triangle pose, we worry more about how far down the leg our hand comes rather than the stretch in the side of the body. As you come into the pose thinking about extending the side of the body long rather than folding down. You can press your hand to a block or your shin to help you extend and lengthen the underside of the ribs. Try to create space between your ribs and your thigh. This will give a nicely side stretch and heart opener for the body.

Join us in class this week to practice your compassion! See the fulll schedule HERE.