Yogic Freedom: The Space to Be

Yogic Freedom: The Space to Be

It doesn’t matter if we are single or married, if we’ve just found romance or just lost it, if we prefer being alone or if we’re addicted to groups, each of us needs a space to be ourselves.

In this space we can find freedom from expectations, whether our own expectations or those that other people might place on our shoulders.

In this space we can rest for a moment, undistracted by fear or worry or anxiety.

We can take a breath and listen to our heart beating its unique rhythm, and we can remember who we truly are.

When I step onto my mat or open my journal before beginning my practice, I find this space and breathe a sigh of relief.

It’s still here, I tell myself, inhaling the sense of freedom and gratitude that I feel when I find myself in this space again.

Sometimes, as I rush around town on errands or find myself impatiently stuck in traffic or waiting on line at the grocery store or in an unexpected argument with a friend or colleague, I forget this space exists, or I fear that I’ve lost it and will never be able to find it again.

But then I’ll pick up my pen and open my journal and begin writing, and the act of writing will bring me back to my breath.

Or I’ll unfurl my mat and move into my asana practice, and the stretches and twists will bring me back to the pulse of my heart.

Each practice—writing, yoga—reveals the place where I need to be.

A page in my journal can offer a doorway into this space, just as an asana pose can show me a pathway into it.

Downward Dog, Lunge, Plank, Tree Pose, Savasana—these aren’t just poses.

They are gateways into an interior space, a space that I can always find within myself if I’m mindful and pay attention and notice the space opening up to welcome me whenever I’m ready to step into it.

This is the beauty of yoga, as well as its mystery.

It offers us the space—this magical, mysterious, miraculous space—to be.

Practice Journal: How does your yoga practice help you find the space where you can be yourself, unfettered by the expectations of others or by the voices that attempt to diminish your faith in yourself? How does keeping a journal help you find this space and sense the power, confidence, and faith that is at the core of your existence? How does your practice of writing and yoga help you hear your true voice? Write: 10 minutes.