I practice so that I reside in a calm, awake, and balanced state. This practice has gradually stripped away the layers of accumulated baggage that weigh on my mind, body, and spirit. Through Ashtanga Mysore practice, I have learned to consciously build myself up with energy and reduce the fluctuations of the mind.

If my mind is calm, I see more clearly. The self-led aspect of Ashtanga encourages me to manually put myself in meditation. I am aware that when I practice, I am in a harmonic and poised state which influences how consciously I respond to what life offers me.  By regularly accessing this unlimited and integrated state of being, when things happen, I am predisposed to experience them from a perspective that will expand and heal me. If I do not consciously fill up with energy, I will be in a disharmonic, chaotic state and may tend to feel victimized, contained, reactive, and vulnerable.

I practice to develop my body, breath, and mind so they serve me; so that I can target something that I want to know more about. I want to know more about my body so that I learn about my holding patterns so that I know how to not make decisions that harm my body. I want to know more about my physical, energetic, and mental state so that I can manage it and it does not disempower or hurt me. For me, this self-led practice continues to be about healing, expansion, and developing a larger arena of receptivity, grace, and safety. It is the pursuit of illumination, it is the pursuit of love and the investigation of myself. It is a true spiritual practice in which you gradually learn how to access and listen to the deepest part of your guidance and surrender to that and trust that guidance. Ashtanga Mysore practice is devoted to deep listening, deep breathing, and deep contemplation. I’m someone who is still exploring this healing and I want more people to talk about and share it with.

Photo of Marie Belle courtesy of mariebellepr.com