Move to nourish, not punish
- rachelbowenyoga
- Jan 9, 2022
- 2 min read
This is something I've said before, and I'll say it again 1000 times over. When it comes to moving our body, the intention we put behind our movement matters.
We live in a world of diet culture, where we are shamed for eating 'bad' foods, or for not looking like the cookie cutter beauty standard that we see in the media. I have fallen into the trap of exercising to 'burn' off' that extra cake, or big meal more times than I can count, and I will likely do it again because I'm by no means perfect (or immune to the societal pressure and beauty standards.)
However, this mantra of moving to nourish, rather than punish my body is something I come back to again and again. The world of yoga especially can be a difficult one to navigate when it comes to this. In the mainstream media, the representations of people that practice yoga are primarily thin, white women practicing handstands and bending their bodies into pretzel like positions. It's hard to be kind to ourselves when we are constantly comparing ourselves to others, especially when its a very superficial façade that we see on social media.
So, the million dollar question, how can we move towards a more compassionate practice. I've written some of my top tips below:
Top tips for practicing self compassion in yoga:
Listen to your body. Before starting your practice, take a few moments to check in. Ask yourself 'How am I feeling physically...mentally...emotionally?' Then decide how you'd like to move within this practice.
Set an intention. Similarly to number 1, set an intention to infuse your practice with. This could be to energize your body, or perhaps find softness. Whatever it is, come back to it again and again and remind yourself why you are practicing.
Modifications. There's nothing wrong with wanting to expand your practice but equally there is no shame in finding ease and modifying your practice to a level that suits your body. This can change daily, just because you did one pose yesterday, doesn't mean you can or should do it today.
Props, props, props. Utilize things like blocks, straps and bolsters to enhance your practice and find more space to move. If you don't have props around, you can be creative and use books, scarfs and cushions.
Find moments of gratitude. Thank your body for being able to breathe, move, see and hear. For being able to laugh, cry and feel.
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