The ocean and the wave

My theme in classes this week as been the invocation of the water element--Jala Namaskar. In the first part of the week I focused on weaving together movements that helped us to align with the currents of our breath much like a river and allowing the body to tap into the current helping to create a pathway for the river to flow through with ease. Just like in nature--over time a river carves out its pathway through the thickest of earth--we too can carve through with the water element the thickest of "earth" in us as well. The movements of the practice were very fluid, creative, and liquidy.

Later this week I focused on invoking the power of the ocean as it expresses its waves. I brought in the principle of opening to something bigger (which makes the sides of the body long, head of the arms bones draw forward, and creates a strong kidney loop *puff*) We sometimes refer to this as opening to grace. In the practice this week I was referring to it as receiving the power of the ocean and as we moved from that power expressing the unique wave of movement from that depth and strength.

You can think of the movement into the ocean like cat pose, but with power and focus. Think of the tides receding and going back into the fullness of the ocean from which they came, and then with full force come back. Think of a Tsunami that draws back and then with intensity unleashes its strength again. The idea is that we are a part of something much larger and in practice we can align with that to create more depth and power as we express our uniqueness and personalization in the practice.

The emphasis was also that when a wave expresses itself out of the ocean, what we see is it's peak out of the body of water, but it's important to remember that below the surface its power is still connected to the ocean and the power of the wave begins from underneath not above. So as our wave expands, we have to remember to stay connected to the body of the ocean. Keeping our depth while expanding our fullness.

It's a basic evolutionary practice of transcending and including. As we evolve, we also hold space for the energy that made the leap possible. So as we tap into the back of the body and feel its power we don't then just let it go into the wave. We draw into it and skillfully navigate the waters as the wave hits it's peak and begins to move back towards the ocean or earth it still does with the remembrance of the inner energy it took to draw it's strength from.

For example in a backbend such as Ustrasana (camel) You would open to something bigger and feel the back of the body expand (draw into the ocean) from there keep the ocean buoyant and full and lift up out of it keeping the sides long, the kidneys lifting to support the spine, lifting the heart with the tips of the shoulder blades, feeling the power of the wave curling the shoulders, heart, head and neck all back together--keeping the wave beautifully symmetrical so the spine is one wave of energy. Keeping it not just a wave, but a wave with the support of the ocean. This same principle can help to reduce the bananas in your inversions as well. You want to feel a deep ocean of support before you express the wave of uniqueness in each pose. Something of depth to refine the beauty.

O friend , understand: the body
is like the ocean
rich with hidden treasures.

Open your innermost chamber and light its lamp

-- Mirabai

May we all dive in and find the possibility for great expansion and powerful expression of our innermost treasure!