How to connect?
Connecting is the fourth most important Vital principle of Vijñãna Yoga after relaxation, quieting the mind and intent. Always be conscious of two opposite directions that are connected to each other. To go up, go down. To go forwards, shift backwards. Wishing for the left side, steady yourself on the right. Wishing to expand, come from the core.
What is connecting when it comes to your body?
The physical body consists of hundreds of muscles, bones, organs, ligaments and nervous connections. All the parts are balanced and work together in harmony. This is done by guiding the movements consciously along certain lines, like a chain floating in space or a river flowing in a hilly landscape. The rings that make up the chain never touch each other, as the river will not force its way through the hills, but will flow easily around them. Connecting is looking for the path of least resistance.😉
How can you practice connecting ?
If we look at the physical body as we look at a landscape, we can see that certain bones, joints and muscles are closer together than others. By consciously guiding the movement and the breath through certain muscle chains and joints, the information or communication travels faster and more efficiently. We get a powerful, and at the same time almost effortless, movement from within.
- Standing on your feet (Tadasana-Mountain pose):
The ground, feeling the weight of our body (gravitational pull), offers resistance. That resistance becomes the rebounding force. The joint closest to the point of contact between body and ground (ankle) is where two opposite directions are connected to each other.
What is the benefit?
We can consciously guide the movement through all the major joints: knees, hips, spinal column, shoulder joints, elbows and wrists. These joints should not only be in contact with each other through our awareness, but they should also be aligned with one another. This enables them to receive the flow of energy and, in turn, send it to the next joint, allowing an even movement, without being held up or cut off.
All movements are done in “round, generous” lines.
I hope my take on Vijñana Yoga helps you better understand the importance of “connecting” in your own Yoga practice. I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments.👇
Take care and stay safe.
Sandra 💖
Book reference: