Breathe Into the Tight Spots

In yoga each Saturday we are given the chance to breathe. To let go of the week, the frustrations and speed we all learn to live with.

For a few precious minutes, in a room with no clock, we get to forget. And to remember how it could be.

Our teacher often says to breathe into the tight spots. We practise directing our breath to those uncomfortable places.

Breathe Into the Tight Spots

Most of us have been raised to ignore where it hurts and paying attention to the pain is not our first choice of where to go. We much rather spend our money in a shopping mall, distract ourselves with online late night entertainment, or pour an enormous glass. And even if we don’t do the noticeable “bad” things, we may take up projects just to keep ourselves busy to avoid paying attention to something important, and gather things around us as protection.

My yoga teacher tells us we need to spend some time in those tight sad places. We need to go to them to get better, and I know this applies not just in yoga. We need to take a deep breath in all of life’s challenges and stay there quietly to figure things out, to make peace, to forgive, and then to move on.

What I've noticed is that my yoga mat takes me to all kinds of places but mostly it takes me within.

Breathe in, feel the focus of your pain literally and figuratively. Acknowledge it, make friends with it, be grateful for it. What is it telling you?

We need to go to the tight sad places to get better. (Tweet This)

My yoga mat takes me to places within. (Tweet This)