All Blocked Up

The other day a yoga student was suffering from seasonal allergies. They were all stuffed up, breathing through their mouth, and kept stepping off their mat to blow their nose. They were all blocked up...which led me to thinking about how we can be blocked not only on a physical level (cold, allergies, muscular cramp or atherosclerosis) but we can also get stuck on a mental, emotional and spiritual level of our being. And the perfect antidote? Yoga of course!

If you're a regular reader of this blog, then this news won't be earth-shattering. According to the Sutras of Patanjali, an ancient Indian text with 196 aphorisms expounding the practice of yoga, describes in the second chapter (pada) that yoga has eight limbs. And only one of those limbs talks about yoga as a physical practice. Yep...just one. When I first learned this, I think my jaw dropped a bit as I knew there was much I didn't know about yoga, but my initial image was that it was another form of movement or exercise and had this potential to help create calmer states. And all of that was true, but it was also a naive viewpoint as I was missing seven of the eight limbs and thus also missing much of the magic that renders yoga a diverse and deeply enriching experience.

To reiterate, the eight limbs are:

1. Yama - Self-awareness, internal observations. The five Yamas are: Non-Harming, Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Moderation, and Non-Possessiveness.

2. Niyama - Ethical Principles. The five Niyamas are: Self-Purification, Contentment, Self-Discipline, Self-Study, and Surrender.

3. Asana - Translated as pose or posture. Literally as "a comfortable seat".

4. Pranayama - Breath awareness and control.

5. Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the senses.

6. Dharana - Concentration

7. Dhyana - Meditation

8. Samadhi - Merging with Divine Consciousness or Enlightenment.

One way to check in with ourselves is through the reflection, study, and application of the eight limbs. If we've only been focusing on the physical practice by doing poses, we have an opportunity to create greater harmony in ourselves by practicing the other seven branches. For my personal growth in yoga, I was well acquainted with the physical part of the practice and something deeper within me was asking for a more soulful exploration of my place in the world. The eight-limbs provided this framework and still do.

So if you think you've got blockages that are keeping you out of balance, how do you find them and do something about it? This past week in classes we've been checking in with our seven energy centers known as the chakras (meaning "wheel" in Sanskrit). You too can go through the below visualization and notice your answers to each of the questions. Notice how well you're able to sense or visualize the colors and what answers pop up with each question. Try to do so without judgment by bringing a curiosity to the exploration.

Find a comfortable position, preferably lying down with your body comfortably supported. Connect to a few deep breaths, imagining the inhaling breath starting at the base of the spine and rising to the crown of the head along the back channel of the body. On the exhale, simply let the breath go. Then bring your awareness to each of the energy centers and ask yourself the following questions:

Base (Muladhara) Chakra - At the base of the spine, this is the root/base energy center. Do I feel safe? Am I grounded? Do I feel connected to community/tribe? Can I imagine a RED sphere of light in this area?

Sacral (Svadisthana) Chakra - Located along the spine behind the navel center. Do my emotions flow easily through me? Do I feel adaptable, like water? Can I imagine an ORANGE sphere of light?

Solar Plexus (Manipura) Chakra - Located in the solar plexus of the upper abdomen. Can I stand up for myself? Do I feel empowered in my life? How is my self-esteem? Can I imagine a YELLOW sphere of light?

Heart (Anahata) Chakra - Located in the heart region. Do I give and receive love? Am I living my life from a place of compassion for myself, all beings, and Mother Earth? Do I need to forgive someone? Can I imagine a GREEN sphere of light in this area?

Throat (Visuddha) Chakra - Located in the throat. Can I speak my truth? Am I biting my tongue? Do words get stuck in my throat? Am I creating the life I wish to live? Can I imagine a BLUE sphere of light in this area?

Third Eye (Ajna) Chakra -  Located between the eyebrows on the forehead. Do I trust my intuition? Am I listening to my inner wisdom? Can I imagine an INDIGO sphere of light here?

Crown (Sahasrara) Chakra - Located at the top of the head. Do I feel part of something bigger? What am I doing to deepen my level of consciousness? Am I able to surrender to a higher sense or power? Can I imagine a brilliant WHITE/VIOLET sphere of light here?

Notice if any particular area felt dull or if the questions piqued your interest. This may be an area that needs to be opened up and/or cleared. Focus a few deep breaths into that particular area and take some time to explore what arose during your experience.

We know that all of these practices take time and what we experience one day may be quite different a week later. Thankfully, we have the structure of the Yoga Sutras and the practices of yoga to help us find our way. In these challenging times, spending some energy bringing harmony into our own selves is time well spent.

Happy clearing!